Kohima based organisations including Green Team Kohima after thorough deliberations on how to make Clean and Smart Kohima, adopted two-point resolution as practical action plan to be practiced.
The action plan are: to dedicate five minutes for showing slides/clips/promos on plastic pollution and environmental issues in all of their programmes and to make a conscious effort to avoid all single use plastic products in all the programmes.
The resolution was adopted at follow up meeting on Kohima Smart City under the “100 days Smart City Special Initiative Campaign on Sanitation” in collaboration with the Green Team Kohima, youth and students organizations based in and around Kohima town on August 22 at Angami Students Union office.
Altogether 27 participants from five key organizations attended the meeting.
The discussion was led by the Green Team Kohima and issues of concern raised by the participants were discussed at length.
Angami Youth Organisation, Angami Students Union, Kohima Village Students Union and the Kohima Baptist Youth Fellowship shared their concerns and suggestions towards a Cleaner and Smarter Kohima.
Based on their experiences the participants raised the need for mass awareness and sensitization while keeping in mind the need to take “baby steps” which are practical and will have maximum impact.
KVSU expressed concern on the need for more dustbins and machineries for garbage collection stating that the Kohima Municipal Council may consider procuring more machineries by raising sanitation tax if necessary.
They also raised the issue of waste management citing the growing quantity of e-waste which can become unmanageable in a few years if not addressed.
The issue of plastic ban, its implementation and the use of alternatives to plastic, was raised vis a vis the fear of a syndicate system which will result in monopoly of the market and its implications.
They also suggested encouraging environment consciousness, plant saplings to be gifted to guests/ special invitees during programmes.
AYO said that modalities needed to be set in place before the plastic ban order comes into force so that it can be implemented successfully.
They also suggested that the government should explore the possibility of more solid waste management sites to tackle waste management.
KBYF said smart citizens were needed to build a smart city.
Earlier, joint CEO of Kohima Smart City welcomed the participants and reviewed the last meeting minutes.
She pointed out that youth and students make up the largest chunk of the population and therefore hoped that participating organizations can make a bigger impact.