Himalayan Cleanup in Dimapur Exposes High Levels of Plastic Waste

Kohima: The annual Himalayan Cleanup took place in Dimapur on Saturday, targeting an open dumpsite at the Forest Office Complex. Organized by the group Living For Environment in collaboration with the Department of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and SBM U Nagaland, the initiative sought to restore natural spaces and track climate-disrupting pollution.

A team of 24 volunteers removed 261 kilograms of waste during the early morning drive. The effort included participants from NEISSR, Salesian College of Higher Education, Pro Rural, and local government departments. During the cleanup, one volunteer required hospital treatment after being pricked by a discarded syringe needle.

Researchers audited a portion of the collected waste to identify the most common pollutants. They recorded nearly 400 items, including over 100 disposable plates and nearly 200 plastic utensils. Brand accountability data identified Shikar Pan Masala wrappers and Signature packets as the most frequent contributors to the litter, alongside numerous plastic alcohol bottles.

Project Coordinator Chüthuzhüni Chache warned that despite the surface cleanup, significant layers of legacy waste remain buried at the site. She emphasized that the volume of single-use items recovered illustrates how deeply disposable culture is ingrained in daily life and cautioned that improper dumping remains a critical threat to public health and the local environment.