Warns of public revolt if govt fails to revoke decision
Dimapur-based civil society organizations have strongly objected to the state government’s plan to reinstate the advisory body for the Dimapur Municipal Council (DMC) on the ground that such bodies have only created mismanagement and chaos in the urban local bodies. It was felt that the present set up in Dimapur under the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) has been working efficiently.
The Dimapur-based CSOs under the banner of Naga Council Dimapur (NCD)- GBs (Sadar) Union, Naga Women Hoho Dimapur, Dimapur Urban Colony Council Federation have appealed to the chief minister to revoke the October 31 notification in the larger interest of the public.
On behalf of the CSOs, Naga Council Dimapur vice president K. Ghokheto Chopy and general secretary, Thsapongkyu Sangtam in a representation to the chief minister Nagaland, expressed fear that the constitution of the advisory committee, as witnessed in the past, was “an attempt to invite gross mismanagement and irregularities once again leading to exhaustion of crores of public funds without any sign of developmental activities.”
They pointed out that the present system under the Dimapur Municipal Council chief executive officer (CEO)/administrator had been functioning smoothly with competent support staff as public were witness to the tremendous development and improvement that had taken place under this system.
The council also highlighted that Section 23(A) of the Municipal Act was in total contradiction with the Naga customary system and practises, as enshrined under Article 371(A) of the Constitution of India.
In this regard, NCD has asked the state government to first review those provision in the Municipal Act 2001 which were against the legitimate interest of the Nagas, before constituting the advisory committees for the Municipal and Town councils in Nagaland.
Without which, Naga Council Dimapur asserted that the Dimapur based civil societies have collectively reaffirmed to oppose the state government’s decision at any cost.
While seeking chief minister’s immediate and urgent intervention to cancel the notification, NCD warned that failure to revoke the decision would invite untoward public revolt and for which the state government would be solely held responsible.
Meanwhile, a member of the CSO expressed serious concern that the advisory committee issue would turn out to be a repeat of the mass public outrage over Urban Local Bodies election earlier this year where lives were lost, properties damaged and brought the state to a standstill.
According to sources, there will be an eight-member DMC advisory body headed by a chief advisor.
The state cabinet plea was that since Dimapur Municipal Council has 23 wards altogether, it was proposed to let each member look after three wards for better functioning.
The Municipal Affairs department in its October 31, 2017 informed all Deputy Commissioners about the decision of the state government to constitute the advisory committee in all the Municipal and Town Councils in Nagaland to assists the administrators.
The notification further asked the DCs to “recommend the names of persons for nomination/appointment” as advisors in the ratio 3:1 of the total number or wards in every Municipal and Town Councils.
While urging the DCs to take the matter on “priority”, the department also reminded the DCs to strictly stick to the guidelines (para a, b, c, d, e & f) of the 2010 notification, as the criteria for nomination/appointment.