Nagaland Chief Secretary Sentiyanger Imchen undertook a tour of Dimapur's flood affected and flood prone areas on May 18. (DIPR Photos)
Indicts solid waste management practices as root case of flooding
DIMAPUR, MAY 18 (MExN): Nagaland Chief Secretary Sentiyanger Imchen visited several flood-affected and flood-prone localities in Dimapur on Monday, undertaking a ground-level review of the city's recurring flooding ahead of the monsoon season, He directed authorities to urgently overhaul solid waste management practices, which he described as a root cause of the problem.
Accompanied by officials from the district administration and various line departments, Imchen inspected Nagarjan Police Point, Vilhume and S.M. Colony, the East Block Burma Camp area near Narkul Turning, the DMC dumping site at Sunrise Colony, and the New Field Check Gate, covering localities that have repeatedly experienced inundation during the monsoon months.
A DIPR report informed that officials briefed the Chief Secretary on the principal causes of flooding in these areas: clogged drainage systems, encroachment along drainage channels, and inadequate drainage infrastructure.
Following the field inspection, Imchen chaired a review meeting on urban management and flood mitigation. His assessment of the city's drainage crisis was unsparing.
He highlighted the growing problem of clogged drains caused by plastic waste and improper disposal practices, and directed that strainers be installed across upstream nalas to stop plastic and debris from accumulating in drainage channels. Similar preventive measures, he said, should also be incorporated into the construction of check dams and other drainage infrastructure, subject to fund availability.
The Chief Secretary also turned his attention to the city's dumping site, which he observed was approaching saturation primarily because of the absence of waste segregation. He directed that segregation of biodegradable and non-biodegradable waste at the household level must begin without delay, and said the government would issue the necessary orders shortly. Municipal bodies, he stated, would be held directly accountable for solid waste management.
Imchen urged representatives of municipal councils, civil society organisations, and the Naga Council to work collectively on maintaining sanitation, removing encroachments along drainage channels, and ensuring effective waste disposal practices across the city.
On the state of municipal services, Imchen expressed dissatisfaction. Despite adequate manpower, he said, poorly maintained garbage collection vehicles were badly affecting waste management operations. He directed authorities to prioritize vehicle repair and maintenance and called for the appointment and effective empowerment of sanitation inspectors to enforce sanitation regulations on the ground, with active monitoring of compliance in all localities.
He also appealed to citizens to maintain cleanliness, segregate waste at source, and pay sanitation charges, observing that residents would be more willing to contribute fees if municipal services were delivered efficiently and consistently. He called for intensified Information, Education and Communication activities to sensitise the public on sanitation and environmental responsibility, cautioning that without a significant shift in public attitude and habits, achieving long-term cleanliness goals would remain difficult.
Imchen called for close cooperation among the Nagaland State Disaster Management Authority, the district administration, police, the Public Health Engineering Department, and municipal bodies to tackle recurring urban flooding and sanitation challenges.
Dimapur Deputy Commissioner Dr. Tinojongshi Chang informed the Chief Secretary that a district-level preparedness and mitigation action plan involving all line departments, urban local bodies, ward authorities, gaon buras, and community stakeholders had already been activated ahead of the monsoon. He said joint field inspections had identified vulnerable flood-prone areas and major drainage choke points, and that drainage clearance operations under the Dimapur District Drainage Clearance Committee had commenced on May 16 using funds released to DDMA Dimapur.
Chang said the Incident Response System command structure used during the mock drill exercise and Operation Night Guard would be activated in the event of any flash flood emergency, with nodal officers, sector officers, and designated response teams assigned responsibilities for evacuation, rescue, relief distribution, and restoration. The Health Department, PHED, Food and Civil Supplies, Power Department, SDRF, Fire and Emergency Services, and the Dimapur Municipal Council have been placed on alert for immediate deployment. An Emergency Response Fund under DDMA is being maintained in readiness for urgent deployment during any flood-related emergency.
