Kohima Municipal Council (KMC) has informed that it would start checking use of plastics from July 20 onwards.
Informing this at the felicitation programme for winners of the cleanest ward awards under the Urban Development department at KMC office on Tuesday, KMC administrator, Lanusenla Longkumer said defaulters would be penalised an amount of Rs. 1000 in the first phase and Rs. 2000 in the second.
She informed that the third penalty would lead to cancellation of trade licence.
The administrator advised the public/customers who receive plastic bags from shopkeepers to report the matter to KMC saying the issue would be forwarded to District Task Force (DTF).
Lanusenla also reminded that the annual KMC Cleanest Ward Award was still on and acknowledged KCCI for sponsoring in the previous year.
KMC have also added—drainage: dumping of garbage in drains will be checked; Ward would get negative marking if SuP was seized from shops/business establishments/restaurants/ eateries etc.; wards are requested to submit their annual social work calendar to the office by August 10, 2022.
KMC appealed to all the citizens to use re-usable/biodegradable substitute and avoid use of plastics at various gatherings and meetings at the same time to avoid disposal of plastic bags, sacks, thermocol, polythene bags (non-woven) and garbage in drains and streams.
It also reminded all ward authorities to check illegal dumping of waste in drains and streams, and to continue their effort for waste segregate.
At the programme, New Market Ward was declared the cleanest ward and was presented along with cash of Rs. 20,000 while PWD ward was declared the runner-up with a cash amount of Rs. 10,000 under Kohima Municipal Council (KMC).
The cleanest ULB/ Wards Competition was conducted by the Urban Development department and state level programme was based on different parameters.
Apart from the categorisation of ULBs, the department also expanded the award to best effort, best innovation and best community mobilisation.
Earlier, the programme was chaired by KMC officer secretary, Zakiekhotuo Kiso.
DC Dimapur asks churches to create awareness on SUPs
DC Dimapur, Sachin Jaiswal on Tuesday, requested churches in the state, to create awareness on Single Use Plastics (SUPs).
According to a DPRO Dimapur report, the DC was speaking at the meeting of DTF and NGOs, civil societies, DMC and GBs on restriction of SUPs in the conference hall of DC Dimapur.
At the meeting, DC pointed out that the whole-sellers/shopkeepers could give customers cloth bags “on nominal payment” to reduce plastic use.
The DMC administrator suggested a public awareness programme on SUPs and said its alternatives should be made available in the market. The GBs federation also suggested to pass an order from DC’s office and DMC’s office to empower GBs and council to check the menace of SUPs while DUCCF suggested all manufacturing units, factories and whole sellers involved in SUP usage to “be banned immediately.”
The house decided that reports on daily activities by ULB on SUPs will be submitted to the higher authority.
In case of delinquent shopkeepers, penalties of Rs. 2000 for first offense, Rs. 5000 for second offense and Rs.10,000 with cancellation of trade license for third offense will be imposed, the meeting discussed.
It was also decided that five numbers of vigilance squads would be formed comprising of district administration, police, Nagaland Pollution Control Board, municipal and town council representatives, GBs, DUCCF representative, Sadar village councils and GBs to strictly monitor and ensure ban of SUPs.
