Moa Jamir
As another World Environment Day approaches on June 5, environmental consciousness appears to be making its annual return. Government departments, district administrations, institutions and various stakeholders are once again reminding citizens about the need to protect the environment, reduce waste and adopt sustainable practices.
The latest reminder came through official directives from Home Department reiterating the ban on single-use plastics in Nagaland. Acting on directions arising from Supreme Court orders and the Plastic Waste Management Rules, as well as a 2019 notification, village authorities and local bodies have been instructed to strictly enforce the prohibition on single-use plastic products.
For instance, Nagaland's Policy for Restricting the Use of Plastics in Nagaland was notified in the Official Gazette on June 17, 2019. Under the policy, a total ban on single-use plastics came into effect on September 17, 2019. Since then, numerous notifications, circulars and reminders have followed, often reiterating existing provisions or introducing additional restrictions.
The question, however, is not whether another directive has been issued but how it is being implemented.
Nearly seven years later, single-use plastics remain widely available across the State.A visit any other urban centres reveals a stark disconnect between policy and practice. Plastic bags, disposable packaging and other prohibited items continue to circulate openly. Even restrictions on certain categories of plastic bottles exist largely on paper. Enforcement, which showed some momentum during the initial phase, appears to have steadily lost steam.
Had the policy been implemented consistently, Nagaland could have emerged as a model for environmental stewardship. Instead, the State finds itself grappling with growing waste management challenges, as recent garbage disposal crisis in Dimapur and adjoining areas affirms.
InFebruary 2023, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) had directed the State Government to acquire land for a new waste disposal site within six months and relocate waste from the existing dumpsite within a further six months. Yet subsequent compliance reports (latest in August 2025) revealed that the process remained stalled, with authorities still searching for a suitable site that complies with the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016.Since then, there has been little indication of any significant headway and hence the present crisis.
Such delays illustrate a recurring pattern. Policies are announced, committees are formed, task forces are constituted and awareness campaigns are organised. But measurable outcomes often remain elusive.
At the same time, responsibility does not rest with the Government alone but active participation from all. The 2019 notification explicitly called upon individuals, commercial establishments and organisations to comply with the ban, while empowering local authorities to impose penalties on violators.However, public compliance is difficult to sustain without practical alternatives, as well as a clear demonstration that the policy is being implemented effectively.
The same principle applies to tree plantation drives that accompany every Environment Day. Thousands of saplings may be planted across the State, but the more important question is how many survive. Environmental success should not be measured by the number of photo opportunities created in a single day but by the long-term results achieved over months and years.The issue extends beyond plastic and plantation alone. It raises broader questions about governance, accountability and the gap between policy announcements and actual outcomes.
What is needed is not another cycle of reissuance, reiteration and ceremonial exercises, only to be relegated to the backburner thereafter, but a culture of follow-up, monitoring and accountability. Environmental protection is not an annual observance but a year-round responsibility. Until implementation carries the same weight as announcements, the State risks remaining trapped in a cycle of repeated bans, recurring crises and unfulfilled promises.
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