Photo Courtesy: nagalandpost
Kohima: Dimapur Municipal Council is rebooting its waste segregation efforts. Previous attempts stalled due to a mix of empty pockets, labor shortages, and a lack of public buy-in. While a 2024 pilot in Ward 11 showed potential, the project failed to spread beyond two colonies.
Waste management consultant Adrian Mahung said the council proved segregation works. However, scaling it up brought serious headaches. Administrative shifts and missing composting facilities cut the program short. Mahung explained the core of the problem: "The waste cannot be composted effectively because a certain percentage of mixed waste is still being collected."
The municipality now operates a new pilot in Ward 15. This time, they appointed local community mobilizers to keep residents on track. These workers help bridge the gap between sanitation crews and households. They use a single vehicle to service all targeted homes, proving that efficiency is possible when operations remain focused.
Challenges remain. Many residents still toss plastic wrappers into biodegradable bins. Different daily schedules across diverse neighborhoods complicate collection times. While mandatory rules kicked in this April, the council lacks the cash and gear to enforce them across all 23 wards. For now, officials rely on voluntary compliance and education campaigns. They plan to expand the model to Ward 3 once Ward 15 hits self-sustaining status.
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