‘Dimapur people failing environment concern,’ air quality deteriorating

[caption id="attachment_192670" align="aligncenter" width="565"] Members of the NPCB at the garbage dumping site.[/caption] Eastern Mirror Desk Dimapur, July 1 (EMN): The migration from rural to urban areas over the years in search of education, employment, healthcare and other facilities which are not available in rural areas has resulted in the rapid rise of urban population, and ultimately, Dimapur district has been experiencing a surge in population. This has put a lot of pressure on Dimapur which is now facing several environmental issues, states the Nagaland Pollution Control Board (NPCB) in its Environmental Information System (ENVIS) newsletter which was provided to Eastern Mirror. Concerned over Swachh Survekshan 2018 survey where Nagaland ranked third among the dirtiest states in the country, NPCB Member Secretary Rusovil John said environment issue is not only about air and water but environment covers more than that. When we talk about environment our concern is only towards plantation and waste management but we need to focus for a “clean, safe, healthy, green and modern Dimapur”, remarked John. Also John pointed out to Eastern Mirror that in spite of the Dimapur Municipal Council’s relentless effort for a better Dimapur the waste management continues to be unsatisfactory. But for a better Dimapur, every department in concern should contribute and assist the municipal, he observed. The air quality continues to worsen over the years in Dimapur and have exceeded the prescribed permissible limit for annual average Respirable Suspended Particulate Matter (RSPM) informed John. “The deteriorating air quality of Dimapur is evident in the reports of the air monitoring results conducted by the Nagaland Pollution Control Board. The Central Pollution Control Board has identified a list of polluted cities in India in which the prescribed National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) are violated based on the ambient air quality data obtained under the National Air Monitoring Programme (2011-2015)”. These cities have been classified as non-attainment cities. In Nagaland, Dimapur and Kohima have been identified as non-attainment cities and the Nagaland Pollution Control Board has come up with an action plan involving all concerned departments to curb the air pollution. The annual average concentration of Respirable Suspended Particulate Matter (RSPM) during the year 2011 to 2017 in Dimapur shows an increasing trend over the years with the highest level of 141μg/m3 recorded in the year 2017 against the permissible annual average limit of 60μg/m3. The major sources of air pollution in Dimapur are road dust, vehicular emissions, burning of waste, pollution from small scale industries and construction and demolition activities. Taking this concern into consideration, the dept. had relocated few stone crushers from Burma Camp and those which fell into the purview of public areas to other secluded areas, said John. The badly maintained roads and innumerable potholes contribute a lot to the deteriorating environment in Dimapur. Vehicles passing through the roads give rise to clouds of dust engulfing passers-by and nearby buildings, residents and trees. The situation worsens during the winter and dry seasons when the concentration of Respirable Suspended Particulate Matter (RSPM) in the air increases significantly and poses as health risk resulting in respiratory diseases. The NPCB department have given a copy of ENVIS to concern authorities so that every dept. reacts and contribute for a sustainable environment, said John. Dumping of waste has become an uncontrolled issue in Dimapur but people have showed no concern, he lamented. Some environmental concerns provided by the NPCB dept in their ENVIS issue that all stakeholders need to be aware about and which needs to be addressed are: Waste management and drainage The water quality of the Dhansiri, one of the major rivers of Nagaland, is degrading because of such activities adding to the pollution and threatening the river ecosystem. As per the analysis report during the year 2017, the Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) of the Dhansiri river as it exits Dimapur is 5.15 mg/l while the favourable limit of BOD is 3 mg/l. Waste management practices in Dimapur are haphazard and not at all environment friendly. Toxic contaminants contribute pollutants to water bodies in and around Dimapur. [caption id="attachment_192671" align="aligncenter" width="565"] The red line in the graph indicates the permissible limit for annual average RSPM (provided by the NPCB)[/caption] Civic amenities Another important issue that needs to be addressed in urban areas is the need for civic amenities such as public urinals and toilets. Urine and human faeces are waste products of the body and if it is not disposed hygienically, it can become the cause of various diseases such as malaria, cholera, typhoid, diarrhoea etc by finding their way into the body through consumption of food and water. Open urination is still a common sight in Dimapur. The reason behind such poor sanitation habits is lack of awareness, shortage of public toilets and the few that are available are not maintained properly for public use. Public safety In a fast growing urban society like Dimapur, public safety should also be a priority as negligence and carelessness can lead to many untoward and fatal accidents. Wires loosely hanging randomly from electric utility poles, transformers without proper enclosure and damaged utility poles from age and rust are seen in many places and are dangerous to people. Tree branches that come into contact with a power line can energise the tree and the ground around it creating a very hazardous situation. Stray electrical currents can also travel through the soil and into metal objects. Simply touching these surfaces, especially with bare feet or during a rainstorm, can cause an electric shock. The NPCB member secretary also addressed that the influx of beggars in Dimapur was also increasing at an alarming rate which is also a matter of concern. ‘Beggars are seen everywhere scavenging for food amongst the garbage, lying on the streets in unhygienic conditions many of whom appearing to be suffering from diseases and barely surviving. At times such beggars end up dead on the streets with no living relatives to claim their dead bodies’, he addressed. ‘Although it is not of the dept. to comment but quacks setting up makeshift shops and posing as practitioners of alternative systems of medicine, a system that is not legally recognised is also becoming a menace. The contents of such medicines and treatment may cause more harm than good to human health and the environment’ John pointed out. While authorities are responsible for decision, policy making and formulation, and implementation, citizens should also be aware of their actions and act responsibly, opined John.