Our Correspondent
Kohima | June 3
Nagaland envisages achieving sustainable waste management throughout the state by the year 2030.
This aim comes as part of the Nagaland Integrated Waste Management Policy 2019 covering all urban and rural areas. The policy was delved upon during a sensitization programme on Waste Management in Nagaland organised by the Urban Development Department here today.
The policy is in pursuance of the Environment (Protection Act, 1986), Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016, Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016, and the Construction & Demolition Waste Management Rules, 2016.
It received the approval of the state cabinet on February 19 this year.
Tarachu Fithu, Deputy Director, Urban Development & Nodal Officer, SBM (U) said that the policy aims to enable communities to reduce waste, reuse and recycle, efficiently manage and dispose waste. It also aims to educate on proper water management, while discouraging littering and polluting actions.
The policy appeals for effective public participation and proposes to educate the masses through IEC programmes.
The waste management in the state is still largely rudimentary. In urban areas comprising of 19 urban local bodies, there is only one scientific treatment plant at Kohima, having 50 TPD capacity funded under the Asian Development Bank assisted by the North Eastern Regional Urban Development Programme (NERUDP). The rest of the urban local bodies have landfill sites and dumping is done without any proper treatment.
Waste production in the urban areas is about 342 TPD.
As for the rural areas, there are no collection systems at present. But inherent practice of source segregation of wet waste for animal feed considerably reduces the problem of waste management, the policy stated.
Although, the situation is not alarming at the moment, it is required to frame regulatory mechanism to ensure proper handling and disposal of waste in view of the changing lifestyle. At the moment there is no record of waste produced in the rural areas.
Some of the major issues, especially in urban areas, include availability of land, manpower, machineries and resources at the disposal of the authorities. The urban local bodies are mandated to look after waste management in the urban areas but without sufficient manpower and financial empowerment.
Clear state policy need of the hour
Calling for a well- defined strategy to implement the policy, the executive summary stated that improper waste management is one of the main causes of environmental pollution.
“This policy is a necessary requirement to ensure that the Nagaland government fulfils its moral and legal duties for safe, compliant, environmentally and financially sustainable waste management rules,” it added.
Earlier, Rusovil John, Member Secretary, Nagaland Pollution Control Board highlighted the overview of the various waste management rules and NGT orders while retired Commissioner & Secretary, Thangi Mannen spoke on the existing scenario and role of community participation in waste management. Urban Development Principal Secretary, Abhishek Singh spoke on the way forward to tackle waste management.
The programme was chaired by Urban Development Secretary, S Nyanbemo Tsanglao while vote of thanks was proposed by Urban Development Director, A Zanbemo Ngullie.
Way forward
* Urban Development and Rural Development departments shall ensure that all ULBs and village councils prepare action plans to manage waste respectively
*DCs to ensure that Solid Waste Management projects are included in development activities of towns and villages
*Local authorities and village councils of census towns and urban agglomeration to ensure implementation of Rule 15 of the Solid Waste Management Rules 2016
* ULBs/Village Councils to frame bye-laws incorporating the provisions of PWM Rules 2016 in collaboration with the Nagaland Pollution Control Board
*ULBs/Village Councils to frame bye-laws incorporating the provisions of C&D Waste Management Rules 2016 in collaboration with Nagaland Pollution Control Board.
