KOHIMA REVIEWS SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT RULES, STRESSES WASTE SEGREGATION AND ACCOUNTABILITY
KOHIMA, October 12: A meeting to review the implementation of the Solid Waste Management Rules in Kohima district was held at the Deputy Commissioner’s Office on Monday, chaired by Deputy Commissioner B. Henok Buchem, NCS.
The meeting discussed key provisions of the rules, including mandatory waste segregation at source, strengthening waste collection and processing infrastructure, promoting recycling, reducing dependence on landfills and ensuring accountability among waste generators.
Kohima Municipal Council (KMC) Chief Executive Officer Alemyapang Longchar, NCS, highlighted the council’s ongoing information, education and communication programmes across wards to raise public awareness about waste segregation and proper disposal.
He informed the meeting that waste segregation would be mandatory and vehicles carrying unsegregated waste would not be permitted to unload. He also outlined plans to streamline waste collection through designated collection points and fixed timings, while strengthening community participation and enforcement.
Longchar further stressed the importance of accurate digital reporting and timely updating of data on the centralised online portal. He called for technical guidance and training for local bodies to improve reporting and compliance, emphasising the need for dedicated staff to ensure continuity in sanitation management.
The meeting identified several challenges to effective implementation, including inadequate waste-processing infrastructure, limited public awareness, financial constraints, gaps in data reporting and coordination among stakeholders.
Buchem suggested organising a dedicated workshop with appropriate resource persons to address the issues raised and clarify concerns regarding implementation of the rules.
He observed that bringing together relevant stakeholder departments would provide a platform for meaningful discussion, improve coordination and help identify practical solutions and a common way forward for effective solid waste management in the district.
Officers from the district administration and departments including Urban Development, Rural Development and Public Health Engineering (PHED), among others, attended the meeting. (DPRO, Kohima)
