Kohima, Sept. 9: The state government has declared Kohima a dustbin-free zone as part of its efforts to implement sanitation programmes.

The government, through the Kohima Municipal Council, has removed all garbage and waste dumping areas in the town and warned defaulters with strong action— from heavy fine to imprisonment.

The civic body has served notices to all shops and business establishments to strictly follow its directives.

A senior member of the Kohima Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), while appreciating the efforts of the state government and the council, was quite resentful about the manner in which the council issued its directives to the business community regarding sanitation.

“We are always ready to co-operate with the civic body to keep our town clean, but the way they issued the directives and a warning to us was unbecoming,” a senior member of the KCCI said.

He said all shops and business establishments in the town had been asked to pay Rs 200 each month. However, the KCCI disliked the word “imprisonment” for defaulters.

The KCCI said the council had assured them more trucks to collect garbage from designated places in the town. “I hope our town will be cleaner now,” the member said.

The Kohima District Planning and Development Board, comprising legislators, bureaucrats, members from NGOs and civic bodies, has donated mini-trucks to every ward and colony of Kohima.

Each household has been directed to pay Rs 30 a month to the respective colony and ward councils as fee for collecting waste and garbage.

All waste and garbage dumping sites in the wards and colonies have been removed by the council and authorities have been asked to maintain a dustbin-free town.

Every morning, trucks will collect waste and garbage from the designated locations in the neighbourhoods. The council has warned that action would be taken against any family not following its directives.

Youths, students and other organisations are extending support to the authorities to maintain sanitation here.

The council will also organise an essay writing, slogan and painting competition on the theme Clean Life. The chief executive officer of the council, Elizabeth Ngully, said a rally would also be organised, involving schools and colleges, soon to sensitise people about sanitation.

The KCCI appreciated Ngully’s initiatives after taking over the administration of the council. “We hope she continues to do the good work for Kohima,” the KCCI member said.