Nagaland: Kohima, Dimapur fails to meet air quality standards set by Central Pollution Control Board

Hukato Chishi, member secretary, of Nagaland Pollution Control Board (NPCB), said both Kohima and Dimapur, the two major towns of Nagaland, have not met the air quality standards set by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). He said the CPCB report was based on the data submitted by the NPCB.

Chishi, who is also the state nodal officer of the national clean air programme (NCAP), however, said while the air quality of Kohima town has been improving in the past three years since the launch of NCAP, Dimapur's air quality has been decreasing. He said the CPCB has set standards for air quality in towns and cities across all states.

Chishi said this at the launching programme of the improvised traffic control system in Dimapir at Holy Cross police point on Tuesday.

He said the NPCB has seven respirable dust samplers in Dimapur while in Kohima, there are three to analyse air samples. The NPCB sends the air sample reports to the CPCB, he added.

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Chishi acknowledged Dimapur Commissioner of police Kevithuto Sophie and his team for providing a platform for the pollution control board to reach out to the citizens of Dimapur as well as the entire state. He requested the Dimapur district administration, Dimapur Municipal Council, police, Chümoukedima district administration, forest department and other departments concerned to work together as a team in achieving the target of improving air quality in the area.

Dimapur Commissioner of police Sophie expressed gratitude to the NPCB and the environment and climate change department for sponsoring the concept of 'cleaning the environment to a certain extent'. He said Dimapur traffic police was selected as one of the six departments for this noble concept as everyone is aware that “we live in a polluted world”.

Sophie urged the residents to take responsibility for cleaning the environment and emphasised the importance of abiding by traffic rules and signals to create a cleaner air environment for Dimapur. He also informed that the traffic lights at Holy Cross junction and Nagarjan junction will be controlled annually from the traffic point control room.

The improvised traffic control system was also launched at Nagarjan junction traffic point by the police commissioner today.