The monthly meeting of the Kohima District Planning & Development Board (DPDB) for July was held at DPDB Hall, Kohima on July 29 under the chairmanship of Deputy Commissioner & Vice Chairman, DPDB Kohima, B Henok Buchem, NCS. Advisor for School Education, & Chairman of the Kohima DPDB, Dr. Kekhrielhoulie Yhome, attended the meeting.
Expressing concern over the increasing use of public roads and municipal areas for storage of construction materials and commercial activities, Dr Kekhrie stressed the need to discourage indiscriminate dumping and encroachment on public spaces.
He advocated for more scientific and sustainable methods of handling construction materials and urged entrepreneurs and business establishments to ensure that roads and municipal areas are not misused.
Referring to sanitation and drainage issues within Kohima town, Dr Yhome highlighted the importance of community participation and accountability in maintaining cleanliness. He observed that while sanitation fees are collected, shop owners and residents should also take responsibility for keeping drains and surrounding areas clean.
He urged greater public awareness and active involvement of ward councillors in ensuring proper upkeep of drains and preventing blockages.
The Advisor also raised concern over landslides affecting various parts of the district and suggested conducting surveys of vulnerable areas in coordination with the concerned departments. He further called for a review of highways and roads that remain under maintenance contracts, recommending joint inspections involving the executing agencies and affected village councils to ensure timely repairs and accountability.
On developmental activities, Dr Yhome requested all departments to compile and submit details of schemes, projects and public welfare activities being implemented so that the information could be consolidated into a report or public document, thereby enhancing transparency and creating greater public awareness of government initiatives.
During the meeting, Chief Executive Officer, Kohima Municipal Council (KMC), Alemyapang Longchar, NCS, delivered a presentation on the implementation of the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2026 in Kohima.
The presentation highlighted key provisions of the Rules, including source segregation of waste, door-to-door collection, recycling and reuse, scientific landfill management, and the transition away from open dumping practices. Particular emphasis was laid on mandatory four-stream segregation of waste at source into wet waste, dry waste, sanitary waste and special care waste such as paint cans, expired medicines and electronic waste.
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The CEO also explained the concept of Refuse-Derived Fuel (RDF), produced from processed non-recyclable waste for use in cement plants and waste-to-energy facilities. He further elaborated on the responsibilities of Bulk Waste Generators, who are required to process biodegradable waste through decentralized methods such as composting or biomethanation while ensuring proper disposal of other waste streams. The presentation concluded with an overview of scientific landfill management and the remediation of legacy waste in accordance with the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2026.
Deputy Commissioner, B Henok Buchem directed all departments to submit details of projects implemented under their respective departments. Referring to allegations circulating in sections of the media regarding the ongoing Census House Listing Operations, he instructed all government employees to extend full cooperation to census officials. He informed the house that no complaints had been received through the helpline numbers issued in connection with the allegations.
The Deputy Commissioner also asked all stakeholder departments under the road sector to remain prepared for any eventuality, particularly during the monsoon season.
The Board approved to recommend the proposal for the shifting of Bloomingdale Pre School to Kitsubozou Colony. It also recommended various schemes under the Local Area Development Programme (LADP) 2026–2027 for the six Assembly Constituencies under Kohima district.
The house further discussed and approved the institution of the Kohima DPDB Award to recognize outstanding government employees serving under the district. The Board also welcomed five new members to the Kohima District Planning & Development Board.
