Can Dimapur get rid of ‘dirtiest city’ tag?

Our Reporter
Dimapur, July 29 (EMN): It appears like Dimapur will take time to get rid of the “dirtiest city” tag as efforts to keep the city clean by various groups through voluntary services have failed to instil a sense responsibility among the masses and requests to keep the surroundings clean having fallen on deaf ears.

Recently, the members of “A Better Dimapur” had taken up the task of beautifying the city, but much to their disappointment, the newly painted road divider was defaced in no time with marks caused by spitting of pan masala and other tobacco products.

“A Better Dimapur” team members have been working with one objective- to keep the city clean and green since it was launched about four years ago, overcoming indifferent mindsets and criticism from all corners.

Achano Tungoe, who has been documenting the works and progress of the team for the last four years, told Eastern Mirror that the team members were all like-minded people who do not hesitate to give time; instead push and motivate one another, share ideas and work towards the city’s interest with the assistance of the Dimapur Municipal Council (DMC).

Tungoe shared that the team was putting in genuine efforts towards the city’s improvement and the citizens too could extend help towards their efforts by shouldering the responsibility of keeping the city clean, ‘if one is not cleaning’.

“Ever since the team was initiated through DMC in 2017, the team was always motivated and driven by a common cause- to make Dimapur better in any way possible. Since then, time and again, sensing the need of the hour and different situational crises, our team has tried our best to serve our community,” said Along Aier, who is also a member of the team.

However, the disappointment, he said, was when people assume that it’s someone else’s job to keep the place clean or ‘someone else is littering our beautiful place, while it is a collective responsibility to keep the city clean and hygienic’.

Another team member, Lenti Aier shared that ‘if we want our society to progress and if we want to see change in our society, it is important that we as citizens realise our responsibility by taking ownership of our land through volunteering in our field of expertise’.

‘We have come a long way since 2017 after the inception of ‘A Better Dimapur’. If we all come together this way by rendering even 1-2 hours of our service once a month, there is so much we can achieve. Development can only happen with the support of our community. And we have come to understand that there will always be a section of people who will not understand what we are trying to create and there will always be criticisms- sometimes constructive and at times just unnecessary,’ Aier shared.

Any social change, she said, will take time but the important thing is to start somewhere.

‘We have begun the journey of this change and we believe that in time we will see this being manifested in a larger picture as we believe in the efforts and sacrifices that we have put in,’ she added.

Ninoto Zhimomi, who has been a part of the team since its inception, lamented that ‘educated people travelling in cars and citizens spit and litter the town without any hesitation. There are instances where steel dustbins were stolen or garbage thrown just outside the dustbins placed’.

However, the team continue to relentlessly paint the city and install dustbins as they consider that it is their responsibility to keep the city clean.

‘Before one expects our city to be clean, and one should consider one’s role. One should stop pointing fingers and preaching but take up responsibility by not littering,’ he conveyed.

Another team member, Mhonjan Humtsoe said that the team has come a long way in creating awareness but there are some who ‘intentionally or unintentionally continue to lack civic sense’.

‘People still need to learn to make use of the dustbins and contribute towards the project by not littering the city. Keeping the city clean is community’s responsibility. If we take care of the city and maintain cleanliness, others will follow suit,’ he noted.