Lessons unlearnt

Each monsoon season in Dimapur brings with it a reminder of disruption and despair but unfortunately, there seems to be no serious effort to address the core of the problem. The city’s vulnerability to inundation and waterlogging are grim annual rituasl, with reports of submerged neighborhoods, damaged infrastructure, and displaced residents making front-page news year after year. Yet, the true tragedy lies not in the rains themselves but in the systemic neglect that allows such scenes to repeat unabated. What Dimapur confronts each rainy season is not a natural disaster, but a man-made crisis demanding resolute action. At the core of this recurring calamity is a fundamental failure, which is- the absence of a functioning drainage system. In many areas, drains that once carried runoff away from homes and roads have either vanished or lie buried under encroached construction. The few that remain are choked with waste, rendering them useless. Consequently, stagnant rainwater erodes roads, seeps into foundations, and leaves neighborhoods marooned. The resulting infrastructural decay compromises public safety and magnifies the city’s economic strain. Addressing this problem requires more than patchwork solutions or reactive measures. Just as critically, natural waterways that historically served to funnel rainwater must be reclaimed or integrated into the city’s drainage blueprint. The rampant filling of canals for construction has not only blocked water flow but turned erstwhile water channels into mosquito breeding grounds-an added health hazard compounding the physical damage. An efficient drainage system isn’t a luxury-it’s a safeguard for the well-being of Dimapur’s residents. Water should reach rivers freely, without stagnating in vacant plots or clogged canals. District and municipal bodies must jointly forge a long-term strategy that prevents future encroachment, aligns urban planning with environmental resilience, and embeds drainage solutions within broader infrastructural goals. Dimapur’s unstructured urban sprawl is symptomatic of deeper governance flaws- haphazard planning, fragmented monitoring and lack of commitment to civic responsibility. Sustainable solutions demand rectification of these systemic issues. Civic leaders must recognize that they have to do more than inspection of the recently submerged and inundated areas and ensure that foundational amenities like sanitation, power, and clean water are a must for the city’s progress. Absence of proper sewerage and waste disposal systems are still a crying need which are indispensable not only to curb flooding but to elevate the living standards of Dimapur’s residents. Garbage accumulation due to random disposal further compounds the issue, choking drains and intensifying public health threats. Authorities must act decisively to discourage the practices of throwing garbage at various points especially over what are supposed to be drains and implement robust waste management strategies. In the hierarchy of civic needs, cleanliness and functionality must precede aesthetics. The vision for a scenic Dimapur cannot obscure the urgent necessity for a hygienic and habitable city. Dimapur seriously needs more than the attention of the civic authorities, it needs active public cooperation on sanitation otherwise, continued neglect risks deepen its vulnerability. Reconstruction and widening of drainage in Dimapur is a serious need and the plan and execution should be transparent and those involved with construction should made accountable for adhering to specification and quality. Only then can majority of the perennial problem be tackled. The time for piecemeal fixes has passed. What is needed now is bold, inclusive, and unwavering commitment in improving the city’s future.