Kohima: The Nagaland Legislative Assembly (NLA) Committee on Environment and Climate Change (CoE&CC) on Thursday conducted a spot verification of three major rivers flowing through Kohima town—Dzüvürü near Mohonkhola, Vürierü at Merhülietsa, and Sanuorü along the New Secretariat Road—to assess the extent of pollution and environmental degradation.
The inspection was led by Committee Chairman and MLA Achumbemo Kikon, along with committee members Mhathung Yanthan, Hekani Jakhalu, Zhaleo Rio, Nyusietho Nyuthe, Dr Tseilhoutuo Rhütso (9th Kohima Town MLA), and several newly elected municipal councillors.
During the visit, the team observed the deteriorating condition of the rivers due to rampant dumping of garbage, plastic waste, septic discharge, untreated sewage, and other hazardous materials. The officials expressed serious concern over the environmental and health implications for the residents of Kohima.
Speaking to the media, Kikon said the Committee on Environment and Climate Change was constituted in February this year with a mandate to address pressing environmental challenges. He stressed the urgent need for collective action to protect the town’s rivers, especially in the face of water scarcity. “The biggest challenge today is the environment—both natural and man-made. Rivers like Dzüvürü and Sanuorü have become dumping grounds for solid and liquid waste. This is a wake-up call,” he said.
He added that the committee plans to conduct multiple consultations and submit concrete recommendations to the government. He also appealed to village councils, municipal leaders, and the public to take ownership of their local rivers. “We often compare our land to places like Singapore and Switzerland. If we truly value that comparison, we must act responsibly,” he said.
Advisor for Urban Development and committee member Zhaleo Rio said the state government has already initiated some programmes under which the Sanuorü river will be part of an “interception and diversion” project. “We are working on treating wastewater before releasing it back into the rivers. The challenge, however, remains during the lean season. In the monsoon, things get washed away, but pollution continues to build silently,” he said.
Rio noted that under the directives of the National Green Tribunal (NGT), the newly formed Assembly committee has a broader mandate that extends beyond Kohima, covering other urban areas like Dimapur.
The committee will coordinate with around 17 government departments to address water management, waste treatment, and long-term climate resilience strategies across the state.
The Thursday inspection marked the beginning of what the committee described as a “sustained and inclusive mission” to protect Nagaland’s ecological balance. The team emphasized that without public cooperation and coordinated departmental efforts, the state’s fragile environment could face irreversible damage.
Other activities expected to be taken up by the committee in the coming days include awareness campaigns on waste segregation and management, water recycling, and the construction of waste material incinerators across all districts of Nagaland.
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