The annual award ceremony for the best and cleanest ward was held by the Kohima Municipal Council, along with a pre-Christmas celebration, at the Capital Convention Centre in Kohima on December 11. Zhaleo Rio, the Advisor for Urban Development and Municipal Affairs, was the distinguished guest at the event. In his address, Rio mentioned that the decision to acknowledge the cleanest ward had been made at the cabinet level in the past. He stressed that the goal was not to compete for the award, but rather to raise awareness and promote community participation in maintaining sanitation and a clean environment. Recognizing the importance of Kohima as the state capital and Dimapur as the commercial center, Rio underlined the significance of presenting awards to encourage and raise awareness in these areas.
Despite Nagaland’s comparatively low population and waste generation in comparison to other states, waste management remains a significant challenge, especially in urban areas as opposed to rural areas, as noted by KMC Administrator T Lanusenla Longkumer. Longkumer clarified that they have revised the “cleanest ward” award this year by incorporating the term “best” to signify a comprehensive evaluation of different criteria. The assessment involves continuous monitoring by the area in-charge throughout the year, ultimately leading to a final report and determination of the award recipient.
Moreover, a special category has been established to recognize outstanding contributions from various colonies, NGOs, and SHGs that demonstrate exceptional performance. This effort aims to motivate collective endeavors in promoting a more livable, healthier, and cleaner environment in Kohima, stated the KMC Administrator.
Pelenuo Yhome, the Founder of Züb Züb India, disclosed that they have effectively raised awareness about waste management and segregation among 5,800 out of 23,000 households in Kohima.
Neilhouphrelie, the Assistant Chief Inspector of KMC, emphasized that multiple criteria were considered in determining the recipient of the best and cleanest ward award.
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The evaluation criteria included overall cleanliness, drainage upkeep, community involvement, sanitation adherence, maintenance of sanitation vehicles, participation in meetings, innovative projects, government initiatives, and festive embellishments.
The prestigious title of “best and cleanest” ward was conferred upon Agri, Forest and Electrical – Ward No. 17 (first place), Midland – Ward No. 9 (second place), and Hospital – Ward No. 10 (third place). The awards, presented by the Advisor Zhaleo Rio, consisted of a monetary prize, a trophy, and a certificate for each of the top three cleanest wards.
The Cleanest Shop Award 2023 were awarded to TT Stationeries, Bayavü (first place), Storage Hardware, Pezielietsie (second place), and Sushil pan shop, Phoolbari (third place). Furthermore, KMC acknowledged the significant contributions of Ao Kaketshir Telongjem, Kohima, an SHG, DBS College, Kohima NSS, and Forest Colony, Kohima.
