Dimapur civil society organisations appeal authorities to address citizens’ plight

DIMAPUR — Dimapur-based civil society organisations (CSOs) have appealed to the concerned authorities to address the prevailing plight and grievances of Dimapur residents, including drug menace and pothole-ridden roads, at the earliest.

The appeal was made after a thorough deliberation on the “sorry state of Dimapur” on all fronts during a consultative meeting convened by the Vigilance Committee of Naga Council Dimapur (NCD) in collaboration with as many as 13 CSOs on October 7, according to an update received here on Wednesday.

The CSOs appealed to the Nagaland Director General of Police (DGP), Rupin Sharma, to take up the responsibility of eradicating the alarming drug menace, especially among the youths and students in Dimapur. While lauding the state police chief for taking stringent action on drug users among the police personnel, the CSO leaders requested him to do the same for civilian substance users.

The Dimapur-based CSOs appealed to the concerned government departments to fix thousands of potholes and ditch-like roads in Dimapur and its surrounding areas, saying that the hardships faced by commuters and school-going children have become unbearable. The house also asked the concerned government departments to immediately commission the functioning of the shopping mall at Forest colony so that the public can avail the benefits and opportunities.

Highlighting the hardships faced by customers in parking during the marketing hours, the civil organisations asked the owners of commercial buildings and shops “not to park their vehicles in the Dimapur Market Roads throughout the day, from morn to dusk”, adding that this grievance has been left unaddressed for years by the government.

In an attempt to ease the traffic congestion, the Managing Board of Holy Cross Hr. Sec. School, Christian Hr. Sec. School, St. Mary Hr. Sec. School, and Little Star Hr. Sec. School, which are located in the commercial area of Dimapur, have been asked to arrange parking spaces for vehicles dropping off and picking up their school children, in their respective compounds, while the schools that have been providing such a facility should continue to do so.

The owners of all vehicles, including motorbikes, three-wheelers, cars and buses have been requested “not to stop at the main roadside in town even for a minute” for school children to alight from the vehicles to avoid causing traffic issues.

While asking the concerned government departments, shop owners and private schools to pay heed to their appeal and take up remedial actions at the earliest, the Dimapur-based CSOs and Vigilance Committee of NCD cautioned that they will “express their resentment and reaction in any feasible manner” if they fail to do so.

The house also resolved to “meet often to adopt line of actions if their appeals are not addressed early by the concerned authorities”.

The consultative meeting was held in collaboration with Dimapur Naga Students’ Union, Dimapur Urban Colonies’ Chairmen Federation, Naga Women Hoho Dimapur, ACAUT, BAN, GBs Union Sadar Dimapur, Dimapur District GBs Association, DCCI, Non-Naga Representatives, East Dimapur GBs Union, East Dimapur Business Association, Eastern Naga Students’ Union Dimapur and Dimapur District Citizens’ Forum.

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