Rejoinder to news item ‘Pollution in Dimapur threatens health of public’
June 12, 2018 | by admin
Reacting to the news item “Pollution in Dimapur threatens health of public” published on June 11, Sunrise colony secretary, Athempu Kamei has clarified that his statement in connection with solid waste management has been misquoted, because from the very beginning, Sunrise Colony had been objecting the Tripartite Agreement by the Department of Municipal Affairs Nagaland with New Waves Bio-Fuels India Private Limited.
“Therefore there is no question of pointing out the non implementation of the waste management project”, the secretary said in a rejoinder letter.
The letter further claimed that the DMC dumping ground was initially inaugurated as a sweeper quarter and not as a dumping site.
“All residents have purchased the land from the private owners including the DMC. So there is no such thing as occupying the land” it added.
Reacting to the DMC CEO, Moa Sangtam’s statement that when the dumping site was started there were no residents in the nearby areas, Kamei said that the colony would like to remind the CEO that the dumping site was started in violation of the provisions of Municipal Wastes (Management and Handling) Rules, 2000 which provides that the landfill site shall be away from habitation clusters, forest area, water bodies, monuments, National Parks, Wetlands and places of important cultural, historical or religious interest.
Also the rejoinder stated that landfills should also be “away from airport including airbase.”
According to the rejoinder, approval of concerned airport or airbase authorities was necessary before setting up a landfill if it is to be within 20 km of an airport or airbase.
The colony questioned the DMC whether approval had been obtained from the Dimapur Airport Authority since the present dumping site is located within 5 kms from the airport.
Stating that residents have every right to complain against the DMC for starting the dumping ground without complying with regulations, it said that their pleas cannot be connected with if the landfill or the colony came first.
“However from the statement of the CEO it appears that the residents have no right to complain” it stated.
On the DMC administrator’s statement that if DMC stopped disposing garbage, it may lead to a law and order situation, the rejoinder said that if the dumping continued, it may lead to an epidemic.
Instead of such alarmist messages of law and order, it suggested that it was time to think how to find a solution to the damages already caused “because of violation of the specification given for setting up a landfill.”
Regarding the DMC claim of offers for medical camps and chemical to control flies, the colony said it did not recall any such offers being made, but whole heartedly welcomed such initiatives if it really intended to make such offers.
“The DMC should also consider providing free water supply to the affected areas till the contaminated ground water is rejuvenated to its natural form” it further stated.
While the rejoinder said that the government is for the people, managed and run “by our own people.” It invited citizens to work together to find a solution to the problem of setting up a new landfill that complies with the rules and does not make anyone suffer.
Finally, it issued a call to everyone to manage their solid waste to lessen this problem, because “polluter’s duty comes first”.
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