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DIMAPUR — Chief Secretary of Nagaland, J Alam convened an emergency meeting on Friday to address the environmental hazard posed by debris and solid waste accumulating in the Doyang Dam reservoir in Wokha district.
According to an update, Alam emphasised the urgency to clear the debris and solid waste, and the need for sustainable solutions and close coordination between the district administration and relevant departments.
Deliberating on the immediate measures required to clean up the collected waste, he instructed the departments to find medium or long-term measures to ensure that this kind of deposits do not take place.
Alam directed the Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Wokha to convene a meeting with stakeholders, conduct a field assessment of the debris, and submit an incident action plan.
He also directed the launch of a mission mode clean-up operation within a week, with proper documentation of the process, with the involvement of various departments, fishermen, local villagers, and NGOs.
Attending the meeting through video conference, Wokha DC, Ajit Kumar Ranjan, said the debris, primarily plastics, have accumulated along the banks of the Doyang Dam lake, particularly near Pangti village and old and new Changsu villages.
While the dam's operation is unaffected, Ranjan said the debris harms aquatic life, degrades the aesthetics of the tourist site, and immediate action will be taken to clear it, he added.
During the meeting, Chief General Manager, North Eastern Electric Power Corporation Limited (NEEPCO) and State Nodal Officer, John Zeliang, said the debris was washed down by heavy rains in May, but the power house is equipped with a trash rack that prevents certain sizes of debris from entering the reservoir.
Further, he suggested that the debris should be gathered and disposed properly before it disperses. NEEPCO will reimburse the expenditure incurred to the NSDMA, he added.
Meanwhile, the chief secretary stressed on the need to ban single-use plastics, particularly water bottles under one litre, and to encourage the use of paper bags.
Also deliberating of other issues with the departments, Chief Secretary stressed on strictly banning single use plastics especially below one litre water bottles and to reinforce the use of paper bags.
The departments of Water Resources, Tourism, Police, Urban & Municipal Affairs, and Fisheries outlined their resources and suggestions during the meeting.
In another update, the state DIPR informed that the Wokha DC has constituted an ‘area team’ to clean up the plastic waste at the Doyang Dam reservoir within 2-3 days.
The team, led by EAC Sungro Pukha Lam, includes the District Disaster Management Officer, SDRF District Commandant, District Tourism Officer, Executive Engineer of the Water Resources Department, District Fishery Officer, representatives from the Divisional Forest Office and NEEPCO.
The team's immediate task is to assess the extent of solid waste pollution at the reservoir by physically visiting the affected areas. They are also tasked with determining the resources and machinery required for clean-up, identifying a suitable collection and disposal location for the waste, and submitting an action plan by June 7.
Based on the finalised action plan, the clean-up operation will begin on June 8 and is expected to be completed within 2-3 days. EAC Sungro Pukha Lam will serve as the overall coordinator and area commander for the mission mode clean-up operation, it said.