A portion of the DMC dumping ground near Sunrise Colony in Burma Camp, Dimapur is seen in this photo taken on March 17, 2022. (Morung File Photo)
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Respondents given 4 weeks to respond
Dimapur, July 2 (MExN): The National Green Tribunal, Eastern Zone Bench has admitted a petition filed by residents of Sunrise Colony in Burma Camp, Dimapur against pollution caused by the dumping ground maintained by the Dimapur Municipal Council (DMC).
The Eastern Zone Bench of NGT issued an order on July 1 issued a notice to the respondents, directing them to file their para-wise reply within four weeks.
The respondents include the State of Nagaland through the Chief Secretary, Government of Nagaland; the Commissioner & Secretary, Directorate of Municipal Affairs; the Director, Department of Municipal Affairs; the DMC through its Chief Executive Officer; and the Dimapur Deputy Commissioner.
The NGT also directed the Dimapur DC, the DMC, the Chairperson of Nagaland Pollution Control Board and the CEO, DMC to file their personal affidavits by the next date of listing.
In this connection, the Sunrise Colony Council issued a press release on Saturday, detailing why it had approached the NGT. It said that the Colony had earlier filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) before the Kohima Bench of Gauhati High Court. However, as the Court viewed that the subject matter falls within the jurisdiction of the NGT in view of Section 14 and Schedule 1 of the National Green Tribunal Act, 2010, the case was disposed on March 3, 2022 “by giving liberty to the Colony to approach the National Green Tribunal.”
According to the release, the petitioners, among others, sought direction for immediate closure and rehabilitation of the dumping ground and removal of all the on-surface legacy waste as well as waste buried below the land surface. It also asked the NGT to direct the respondents to take necessary measures to rejuvenate the environmental impact caused to the Colony and its adjoining area due to the alleged illegal dumping over the years.
Along with this, the petitioners also sought various remedial measures for the residents of Sunrise Colony and other adjoining colonies which included free medical check-ups and medicines and free clean drinking water facilities.
The petitioners also stated that the DMC dumping ground was set up in violation of the criteria set by the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016, and sought direction from the NGT for the State respondents to immediately start a landfill at a new location in compliance with the Rules 2016. “Direct the Respondent no 5 to act according to the mandatory and statutory provisions of the Rules 2016,” it added.
Additionally, it prayed for the NGT to set up an inquiry so as to fix responsibility and institute criminal proceedings for various offences committed under the Municipal Solid Waste (Management and Handling) Rules 2000, Rules 2016, Indian Penal Code, Environment Protection Act and such other Acts against those officers “who have betrayed the applicants and the adjoining colonies and who are responsible for polluting the environment.”
The NGT, Eastern Zone Bench, in its July 1 order noted that the “matter requires consideration,” and listed the next hearing on August 2.
Department in ‘ignorant mode’
Meanwhile, the Sunrise Colony Council took the Department of Urban Development and Municipal Affairs to task, over the recently announced award for the cleanest Urban Local Body (ULB) or ward.
The DMC along with the Chümoukedima Town Council were adjudges as the ‘Cleanest ULBs’ in the category that was based on ULBs with a waste management system in place.
Towards this, council Chairperson John Zeliang and Secretary Athemphu Kamei stated that the Colony was “deeply shocked” to see the way the Department was handling and overseeing waste management in Dimapur. It said, “Despite knowing the bitter reality that DMC is running the dumping ground by violating the Municipal Solid Waste (Management and Handling) Rules 2000, the DMC was adjudged as one of the cleanest ULBs in the first category.”
“The Council wonder whether the award has been made by examining and inspecting the waste management from source to disposal and its management at dumpsite. How a municipal Council without even a garbage truck has been adjudged to have the best waste management system in place? (Sic)” it posed.
According to the Council, presenting an award to the DMC, “only goes to show that the Department is still in ignorant mode or playing safe regarding the provisions of the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016.” It appears that the department officials are not serious in discharging their obligation to take effective steps to address such serious issue and to take remedial steps to compel DMC to strictly follow the Rules of 2016, it added.
Further, the Council maintained that the Department should “take a cue” from the statement of its Advisor who reportedly stated during the award function that ‘the common practice of disposal of waste in Nagaland was by collecting of waste and dumping at the dumping site without any treatment or segregation posing a major environmental concern especially single-use plastic items.’
