The Committee on Urban Local Bodies and Nagaland Village Councils (vis-à-vis the Nagaland Municipal Act, 2023 and the Nagaland Village and Tribal Council Act, 1978, as amended up to 2022), conducted a spot visit to Dimapur on Friday and held two separate stakeholder consultations to review the implementation of the two legislations and gather recommendations for strengthening urban governance.

The first meeting was held with the District Administration, Urban Gaon Buras and colony chairmen while the second meeting was conducted with Dimapur Municipal Council (DMC).

The meetings were chaired by K Tokugha Sukhalu, MLA, Advisor for Food & Civil Supplies, Legal Metrology, and Chairperson of the Committee. Committee members Imkongmar, Dr Kekhrilhoulie, A. Nyamnyie Konyak, Dr. Neisatuo Mero, Lima Onen Chang and Ar. Jwenga Seb were also present.

In his introductory address, Sukhalu said the committee had come to Dimapur to listen, investigate and understand how the newly elected municipal council, traditional Urban Gaon Buras, colony chairmen and the district administration were coordinating on the ground.

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He said the committee’s mandate was to review the implementation and intersection of the Nagaland Village and Tribal Councils Act, 1978 and the Nagaland Municipal Act, 2023, noting that the two laws represent the dual reality of Nagaland.

Describing Dimapur as the commercial hub and gateway to the State, Sukhalu said what happens in the city has a bearing on the entire state. He noted that after more than two decades without an elected municipal body, the newly elected Dimapur Municipal Council marked a historic transition under the Nagaland Municipal Act, 2023, while Urban Gaon Buras continued to play a vital role in maintaining customary authority, law and order, and community mediation.

The Chairperson acknowledged that urban governance and customary institutions often overlap as towns expand, creating practical challenges. He called upon the DMC councillors to share areas where the 2023 Act empowers or restricts them and identify the administrative support required for effective implementation.

He also sought feedback from Urban Gaon Buras on adapting to the new ward committees and from colony chairmen on coordination, sanitation, security and areas where the DMC could provide greater support.

Sukhalu further urged the participants to candidly present grievances, coordination issues and practical recommendations so that the committee could submit concrete suggestions to the Nagaland Legislative Assembly. He said the ultimate goal was to ensure harmony between statutory municipal governance, traditional institutions and grassroots colony leadership to make Dimapur a clean, safe, efficient and prosperous city.