Nagaland: DUCCF objects to DMC noticeon revamping sanitation team

Dimapur Urban Council Chairmen Federation (DUCCF) has expressed strong objection to a recent notice issued by the Dimapur Municipal Council (DMC) regarding the revamping of colony-level sanitation teams under the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2026.
In a press release, DUCCF general secretary Bokato Wotsa stated that grassroots institutions—colony councils and Gaon Buras (GBs)- have consistently supported municipal authorities, even prior to the conduct of municipal elections. The federation stressed that the existing sanitation system at the colony level has endured primarily due to the dedication and voluntary contributions of grassroots leaders.
Acknowledging waste management as a pressing challenge for Dimapur city, DUCCF has, however, criticised any approach that appeared to use the Nagaland Municipal Act, 2023, as a means of exerting pressure on grassroots leaders. It said that colony chairmen and GBs were not obstacles to reform but stakeholders and partners in governance.
DUCCF warned that issuing statutory warnings instead of promoting cooperation could generate unnecessary friction.
DUCCF highlighted that effective waste management demanded comprehensive planning, adequate infrastructure, technical expertise, and sufficient financial support—not just notifications and imposed deadlines.
The federation asserted that without robust logistics, proper segregation systems, efficient transportation, and sustained public awareness campaigns, placing the entire responsibility on colonies was neither realistic nor equitable.
To address these concerns, DUCCF has urged the DMC administrator to immediately convene an inclusive coordination meeting involving all ward-elected councillors, colony chairmen, GBs, and colony councils.
The federation also proposed launching a detailed pilot project, developed through genuine consultation with all stakeholders, before enforcing strict compliance measures. “Dimapur needs partnership, not pressure. Dialogue, not directives. Cooperation, not compulsion,” DUCCF stated.
Meanwhile, the federation reaffirmed its commitment to collaborate constructively with municipal authorities toward a cleaner, healthier, and better-organised Dimapur. It, however, stressed that any lasting solution must be grounded in mutual respect and shared responsibility.