Dimapur municipal area gets introduced to waste segregation

February 3, 2024 17 Views No Comment

• DMC pilot project
• Segregation at source
• A first for Nagaland

Morung Express News
Dimapur | February 3

Dimapur will finally have a non-existent but a long and much needed urban practice. A first for Nagaland, the Dimapur Municipal Council (DMC), on February 2, began implementing what is hoped to be an enduring door-to-door collection of domestic waste segregated at source or the household.

The DMC’s Ward-11, comprising of Duncan Basti and River belt colony, was chosen as the pilot site to introduce the practice of segregating waste at source, where MLA and Advisor for Labour & Employment, Skill Development & Entrepreneurship and Excise, Moatoshi Longkumer did the ceremonial task of launching the pilot project on Friday morning.

The new initiative will be backed up by four pick-up trucks, especially retrofitted for the purpose.The smaller trucks were opted with the idea of avoiding traffic regulations imposed on movement of trucks during the day and reaching places with narrow alleyways. According to the DMC Administrator, Manpai Phom, the existing fleet of waste disposal vehicles consists of bigger trucks, which implies they can operate only for three hours, on average, in the morning before the regulation on movement of heavy vehicles takes effect. He said, “With the smaller trucks we can operate for longer hours as well as access places where bigger trucks cannot reach.”

One of the pickups was funded by the District Planning and Development Board, Dimapur, which is headed by Advisor Longkumer, and the remaining came via the 15th Finance Commission.

The Administrator said that introducing the project from conception to implementation took a long time, but now that it has been started, Nagaland would gradually be able to pick up pace. He revealed that the state has not been able to achieve all the targets of Swacch Bharat Mission-1, among which includes waste segregation at source.

Terming sanitation as a responsibility shared between the public and municipal bodies, he said, “Much will depend on the success of the pilot project in Duncan and Riverbelt. The greater vision is eventually introducing an integrated waste management system beginning with segregation at source.” The project will next cover Ward-17 covering the highly congested Marwari Patti area to eventually cover all the DMC wards and even beyond.

Advisor Longkumer emphasised the significance of inculcating civic sense, which also includes paying for sanitation.He asserted that it would be wrong to expect the workers to dispose the waste generated by a city for free. “I believe it is the concerted effort of the DMC and other government departments as well as all residents… Let us live responsibly, let us change our way of living and let us be more hospitable so that Dimapur becomes the most habitable city,” he said.

Longkumer’s assertion on paying for services was echoed by the Duncan Basti Council. “We must not balk at the idea of paying Rs 50-60 as sanitation tax a month,” said a member of the council.

Deputy Commissioner of Dimapur, Tinojongshi Chang and Dimapur Urban Council Chairmen Federation Chairperson, Zasivikho Zakiesatuo and a representative of the Riverbelt Colony Council also spoke on the significance of the project.

Process of waste segregation

Waste segregation involves sorting waste into wet/organic and dry waste at the household level, which will be collected by municipal workers to be transported to a dedicated waste processing facility. The segregated organic waste is composted into fertiliser and dry waste recyclables like paper, plastic, metal etc are reclaimed for reusing.

DMC’s Consultant on Waste Management and Legacy Waste, Adrian Mahung told The Morung Express that the Material Recovery Facility is already functional, while the composting unit will be activated in about a week’s time at the designated waste disposal site. He informed that 57 percent of the 74 metric tonnes of waste generated daily within the Dimapur municipal area is wet waste.

According to Mahung, segregating waste at source enhances the efficiency of waste management systems, making it easier for recycling facilities to handle specific materials. “This translates into cost savings and a more sustainable waste management infrastructure,” he said.

Recycling promotes resource recovery helps conserve natural resources, minimises pollution and decreases the overall environmental impact of waste disposal. “By segregating and recycling, we contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and the conservation of energy,” he added.