Dimapur’s garbage problem is no longer merely an eyesore; it has become a serious public health and civic crisis. Rubbish is being thrown at every convenient corner, waste remains unattended for days, and the smell of rotting garbage has become part of daily life. The recent dumping of dead pigs at the centre of Dimapur, along the National Highway at Midland-Nepali Basti, exposed the alarming disregard for sanitation and human dignity. There are two sides to this crisis, and both must be examined honestly. The first is the conduct of the public. Many residents dispose of household waste wherever it appears convenient, without considering the effect on others. Such behaviour reflects a lack of civic sense. Public spaces, roadsides and neighbourhoods cannot be treated as private dumping grounds. When people throw rubbish carelessly, they contribute directly to dirty surroundings, foul smells and an unhealthy environment. Individual irresponsibility, repeated across thousands of homes, creates a problem that no civic body can solve easily.Yet public behaviour cannot be used to hide the failure of the Dimapur Municipal Council. Sanitation and garbage disposal are supposed to be under its supervision and management. For a considerable period, however, the council has reportedly faced a shortage of disposal vehicles and manpower. As a result, much of the waste collected from homes is being dumped along roadsides or left unattended. This failure is visible in the horrible sight of accumulated garbage and the terrible smell from waste that is left to rot. A municipal body cannot be judged only by its ability to collect taxes through agents. Its performance must also be seen in clean streets, timely garbage collection and a healthier environment. If waste remains on roadsides for days, the public is entitled to question whether the system is functioning properly. Shortage of vehicles and manpower may be genuine difficulties, but they cannot become a permanent excuse for inaction. The current situation shows that the DMC has not been able to organise an effective and timely disposal system. At the same time, responsibility must not rest with the DMC alone. The administration and the municipal council need to work together on a strict and visible garbage disposal programme. Waste must be removed without unnecessary delay, especially from crowded areas and roadsides. The public, too, must be clearly warned that throwing garbage wherever convenient is unacceptable. Stern action against those who pollute the environment may be necessary, but enforcement will have meaning only when the authorities provide a dependable disposal service. The longer this neglect continues, the more normal it may appear, especially to younger residents. That would make the crisis harder to reverse. A clean city requires regular services, public cooperation and the willingness to correct behaviour before neglect becomes accepted. This is therefore a shared civic responsibility. The DMC must improve its management, address the shortage of vehicles and manpower, and make sanitation a visible priority. Residents must stop treating public places as dumping sites and understand that careless actions affect the health and dignity of the entire community. Dimapur’s garbage crisis will not disappear through blame alone. It requires discipline from the public, accountability from the DMC and cooperation from the administration. Clean surroundings are not a favour but a basic public duty, and every responsible citizen and authority must act accordingly.
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