Along with the rapid pace of unplanned development and increasing traffic congestion, denizens of Dimapur are faced with yet another problem in the form of water borne diseases. Cholera, dengue fever, giardia, Hepatitis A, mercury, lead, and arsenic poisoning\u2014pollute stagnant ponds which overflow after heavy rains evident after Saturday and Sunday pre-monsoon rains . Moreover, the pollution of stagnant water carry non-biodegradable garbage, medical waste from hospitals and human waste clogging the drains in the absence of drainage system caused by rampant encroachment.For the residents of low lying areas such as Sachu colony, Burma Camp and Walford area, inundation has become an annual feature with no efforts taken by the authorities till date. Heavy rainfall during the past few hours on Sunday evening has thoroughly exposed the problem.
This scenario is experienced each monsoon season by residents living in Sachu colony. Piling up of garbage and domestic wastes on open drainage that flows through Sachu colony has turned the stagnant pool into a serious health hazard.The rainwater pools into drains clogged with piles of garbage. Many of the residents were seen draining out the dirty water seeping into their homes, while some were even trying to clear the blockage.
One of the residents lamented that their repeated pleas to civic authorities have fallen on deaf ears and as a result. \u201cI have already spent Rs 2000 for hiring some manual laborers to clean up the drains. I wish the DC or the CEO of DMC would come and see our situation\u201d a resident told this Reporter. The drain happens to be the boundary dividing Lomithi and Sachu colony. Residents complained authorities were least bothered about their woes. They also pointed out rampant encroachment along the nullahs as another major reason for clogging of the drain.
Other colonies located at low lying areas of Dimapur also face similar problems.
It was ironic, that the problem remains when several villages have been receiving the Niramal Gram Puraskar for total sanitation
The inundation has only served to ring alarm bells on the civic authorities and unless a major effort was made to clear drains and put in place such a system where none exists, outbreak of water borne diseases could turn into an epidemic. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"