Residents of Dimapur have gotten used to seeing piles of garbage strewn around or of streams chocked with piles of rubbish and plastic bottles, in addition to potholes, bad roads and lack of drainage which are mirrors of the breakdown of civic sense and management.
These are not only eyesores for the public but also potentially pose health hazard also.
The ‘fling bag’ culture practiced by locals for disposing household garbage on roadsides exposes lack of civic sense and failure in waste management by the civic authorities.
According to Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dimapur Municipal Council (DMC), Orenthung Lotha several residents have complained of stench and dirt from garbage thrown into the river Dhansiri.
He also pointed out that the DMC was using “modern mode of disposal” such as separating of waste, burning of waste material and turning bio-waste into manure.
On the request made by various bodies to shift/construct a retaining wall around the DMC dumping site, Orenthung admitted such works cannot be executed overnight. He however admitted that DMC was awaiting response from the state government sent a year back, for construction of a protection wall.
It may be mentioned that Dhansiri River Flood Control Board (DRFCB) and Green Succession of Nagaland State (Green-SONS) expressed concern over the continuous dumping of municipal wastes into Dhansiri river.
The two organizations also appealed to the responsible authorities to immediately shift or construct protection wall at DMC dumping site.
DRFCB chairman Hokheto Kiba and Green-SONS chairman Jess T. Murry said municipal wastes at Dhansiri river bank have adversely polluted the water, causing serious impact on health of the residents nearby. They said it was also causing air pollution around the colonies due to the toxic gases emanating from the wastes and a breeding ground for several diseases.
Despite the efforts of the DMC, DRFCB, Green-SONS and citizens, a quick survey of Dimapur town by Nagaland Post revealed there were still problems galore as far as the issue of a clean and green Dimapur was involved.
Any visitor passing by the small road bridge to Half Nagarjan junction will not be able to ignore piles of rotting garbage that emit nauseating stench to the same area. It was shocking that the bridge was being used as a point to dump garbage and non degradable items into the already clogged stream.
The unhygienic state does not end but extends to the threat posed on the public since these have become breeding grounds for mosquitoes, flies and vermin.
The spot nearby is also being used by all and sundry for urinal.
Meanwhile, the garbage dumping site along the road, near Burma Camp has also become a haunt for stray dogs feasting on rotting food items.
Residents and passersby are also affected by the sight and smell from the dump.
For many years, the civic authorities have promised to do something but despite the rising problems caused due to inefficient disposal of garbage, the problems have multiplies.
Even as ordinary yet essential service of cesspool disposal has all but disappeared owing to alleged mismanagement where salaries of the lower grade staff were pending.
Unless garbage disposal and proper drains are given priority, Dimapur will soon become the garbage hub of the state.
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