DMC initiates cleaner, greener Dimapur city

The Dimapur Municipal Council (DMC) has initiated to transform the commercial hub of Nagaland, Dimapur under the "Cleaner, Greener and a Healthy Dimapur with Community Participation" initiative.

The initiative includes the transformation of ugly garbage dumping areas into pleasing and environmentally friendly spaces.

"The erstwhile dumping ground outside the Ramakrishna School premises besides the main road in Duncan Basti turning into a beautiful sight with colourful mural of the 16 Naga shawls adorned on the walls is an amazing sight now," a citizen said.

A symbolic metal tree "Existence" stands in the middle made by an artist, Mark Medom, by using metal scraps which are otherwise sidelined as wastes.

The Dimapur city plagued with potholed roads and garbage strewn across everywhere. However, with the launching of "A Better Dimapur" project in June last year, which was aimed to improve the city's sanitation, environment and aesthetic appeal through the active participation of the community, things are changing today slowly.

According to DMC Administrator, Moa Sangtam, individuals, organisations and institutions have responded tremendously to the clarion call for public welfare.

The DMC has partnered with like-minded groups and institutions such as Team Clean, Team Green, Living for Environment (LiFE) NGO, Healthy Dimapur, Act of Kindness and the Dismantling Team.

Various activities have been carried out with the help of these teams. Metal dustbins have been installed around public spaces. Trees and ornamentals have been planted along dividers to increase the beauty and green cover in the city.

Plastic is being recycled for productive purposes, while the "Smooth Ride for Dimapur" has been initiated to fill potholes in the main areas of the city. Old hoardings and neglected structures have been removed from public areas, while the spread of vector-borne diseases is being prevented by controlled use of chemical sprays.

"Garbage to Gold", a waste management project undertaken in collaboration with a non-government organisation (NGO) called "Pro Rural" also aims to turn kitchen waste into fertilizer.

To achieve this goal, the DMC has also initiated the "Cleanest Colony Competition" and award the colonies.

Each month, the DMC selects two colonies and donates 30 buckets each for households within the colonies of the city. The cleanest colony of the month is also given a bonus of 50 buckets.

The process involves collecting kitchen waste in a bucket with a tap attached. An organic mixture is added to hasten the process of decomposition. Excess liquid can be dispensed from the tap and poured directly to fertilize planting areas.

Once the bucket is full, the contents are put in a pit and covered. After two weeks, the organic fertilizer is ready for use.

Pro Rural has been imparting training and distributing materials. The DMC sponsors the expenses of training and products that are distributed.