The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has imposed a fine of Rs 200 crore on the Nagaland government for its failure to manage sewage and solid waste in the state.

This was stated by Hukato Chishi, member secretary of the Nagaland Pollution Control Board, while addressing a workshop on plastic waste management and waste segregation at source on the topic of “Freedom from Garbage” at the Niuland Deputy Commissioner’s conference room on Monday, according to an official report on Tuesday.

“If we don’t start managing solid, sewage, and plastic wastes today, our land and environment will be in a worse situation after 10 to 20 years from now,” Chishi said.

He urged on the public to cooperate with the district administration and lead the district to a better location.

Yanathung Kithan, scientist ‘B’, Nagaland Pollution Control Board, highlighted the solid waste management rules 2016 and the duties and responsibilities of the deputy commissioner, every waste generator, urban local bodies, and village panchayats.

Kithan said Nagaland’s 2019 Integrated Waste Management Policy aims to achieve sustainable state-wide waste management by 2030. He urged participants to emphasize community involvement and to take the role of “my waste, my responsibility”.

Kithan added that the importance of adopting 4R plastic waste management – reduce, reuse, recycle and recover – is an effective principle to combat the threat of plastic waste.

The Dimapur division of the Department of Public Health Engineering (Rural), in collaboration with the Niuland Municipal Council, organized the one-day workshop.

Niuland additional deputy commissioner and Niuland Town Council administrator T Lemlila Sangtam said the event was a consortium work of departments such as the district administration, town council, PHED, and Nagaland Pollution Control Board collaborating for a common cause – to make their town and district clean and green.

She acknowledged that the workshop was attended by various departments, all participants, and representatives from 19 villages.

The Niuland Town Council has initiated a “freedom from garbage” campaign under its theme “Because we believe, together we can and together we will”.