Heaps of trashes dumped by residents at a Cemetery in Kohima.
Local residents continue to dump garbages in most unusual places
Vibizono Yhokha
Kohima | April 12
The Midland public cemetery, the Chandmari public cemetery and the dirty river of Agri Colony shares one thing in common- all three of them is a favorite spot for dumping garbage, at least for some of the residents of the respective colonies.
The public cemetery of Chandmari colony is one of the most bizarre cemeteries one will ever find. Situated at a sloppy hill, the cemetery consists of around 50 graves of which some has been totally covered by garbage that it is hard to decipher whether they are graves or just garbage. Each epitaphs marks “in loving” or “in sweet” memory of a person, however the irony lies in the whole cemetery decorated with total garbage. It is shocking and inhuman of how people have enough courage to dump their garbage on somebody’s grave.
The public cemetery of Midland colony is somehow better than the Chandmari cemetery, but nevertheless, it is no different. It still continues to be a favorite spot for some of the lazy residents to throw their garbage just the way they want it. Here you will find exotic wine bottles, racks and old worn-out shoes being dumped on a person’s grave. Even the entrance gate is half covered by mud and wastes. What else can one say of people’s insensitivity towards the departed souls?
The dirty river of Agri colony is yet another tragedy. What would have been a beautiful natural river years ago has become a big “Nala” (drain) today. Fishes and aquatic plants and animals of this river have finally succumbed to man-made wastes and human ignorance. Small streams accumulate this dirty river that flows from Ministers’ hill colony towards Agri Colony and goes downstream towards Paramedical colony. The garbage in the river knows no beginnings or endings. Here, plastics, sweet wrappers, bottles accumulated in huge piles and (most embarrassing of all) fecal matters are a common sight.
The problem also remains the same. On being asked why people continue to dump garbage in such places, the nearby residents of these cemeteries and river complains that some particular residents continue to dispose their garbage despite warnings and the simple reason is that these particular residents are too lazy to collect their garbage to the KMC trucks in the morning, moreover, they throw their garbage at night so it is difficult to find out the culprits.
For years, the residents of Kohima had been blaming and complaining to the Kohima Municipal Committee (KMC) to clear the garbage in each colony. And KMC had somewhat become a synonym to the sanitation problem. Thankfully this time, KMC is finally taking action by providing trucks for collecting garbage every single day. The problem now is that the local residents turned out to be the biggest culprits. We all need to be reminded that this dumping of garbage is increasing health risks, degradation of the whole biosphere and not to forget that it is an embarrassment, no wonder why people will label us as “backward” and “underdeveloped” despite our sophisticated clothing. Perhaps, it is time for the residents to do their part.
