The Dimapur Urban Council Chairmen Federation (DUCCF) on Monday announced the successful completion of a month-long drainage cleaning exercise across Dimapur municipal areas, while stressing that sustainable urban planning and public cooperation remain crucial to addressing the city’s recurring flood problem.
Addressing media persons, DUCCF officials said the drainage clearance drive was conducted from May 16 to June 12 with financial assistance from the Nagaland State Disaster Management Authority (NSDMA) through the Dimapur district administration.
DUCCF Chairman, Zasivikho Zakiesato informed that there was a budget of Rs 25 lakhs for the entire exercise of drainage clearance in Dimapur, but the work was completed at around Rs 23 lakhs. He said the remaining Rs 2 lakhs was handed over to the district administration.
Zakiesato informed that the majority of the work was carried out manually with the participation of labourers, community leaders and volunteers, while machinery was deployed mainly for transportation and disposal of waste. He said that community leaders and volunteers, along with hired labour, also had to physically take part in the exercise.
Despite the successful clearance operation, DUCCF leaders expressed concern over the city’s worsening sanitation practices and lack of civic responsibility. Officials said the exercise exposed alarming levels of misuse of drainage infrastructure, including instances where household toilet outlets were directly connected to public drains instead of proper septic tanks.
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It was informed that there were all kinds of waste in the drains, ranging from plastic materials to animal carcasses.
Zakiesato warned that indiscriminate dumping of garbage into drains remains one of the primary causes of waterlogging and urban flooding in Dimapur.
“The drainage clearance work has restored the flow of water, but unless people stop dumping waste into drains, the problem will continue. Blocked drains eventually lead to flooding,” he stated.
The exercise covered major drainage channels across several localities, including stretches from East Block and Burma Camp to SM Colony, as well as from Sunday Bazaar to Zeliangrong Colony. Most of the drainage systems cleared were natural water channels that had become clogged over time due to waste accumulation and encroachments.
The federation also raised concerns over waste being dumped into drainage systems by residents living across the Nagaland-Assam border.
DUCCF President informed that the Dimapur district administration has already initiated discussions with authorities in Karbi Anglong district to address the issue.
