Dimapur, 14 September (MTNews): The Rising Peoples’ Party (RPP) has sounded an alarm over the deteriorating state of Dimapur in a press statement titled “Dimapur is a dying city.”
In a scathing critique, the party has brought attention to the numerous issues plaguing the city, including “multiple taxations, filth, drugs, bootlegging, traffic woes, a syndicate system, and crumbling infrastructure.”
Adding to these problems, the RPP lamented that Dimapur experienced severe flooding on the evening of 12 September, compounding its existing challenges. The party expressed deep concern that Dimapur, once the fastest-growing city in the entire Northeast, is now languishing in neglect.
The RPP criticized the state government for what it views as misplaced priorities. They highlighted that instead of revitalizing Dimapur, the NDPP-BJP coalition government is contemplating the development of a mini-city around the Chathe Prayer Centre area. The party questioned the sustainability of such a project and raised concerns about who would ultimately benefit from it.
One of Dimapur’s ongoing challenges is the recurring outbreak of dengue, which is directly linked to flooding and clogged drainage systems. The RPP called on the state government to direct the district administration to cancel all illegally issued land titles over swamps and sewages and mandate the demolition of illegal structures. Additionally, the RPP urged the government and Dimapur’s concerned MLAs to prioritize the overhaul of the city’s entire drainage system.
Dimapur’s runways also bore the brunt of the 12 September deluge, not for the first time. The RPP blamed land encroachers for obstructing the expansion of both the airport and the Dimapur railway station. It questioned what is preventing the state government from immediately evicting all the encroachers, emphasizing that any government’s responsibility is to make “iron-willed decisions.” However, the RPP noted that the Monsoon Session of the 14th Nagaland Legislative Assembly has exposed the limitations of an opposition-less government.
The party further criticized the government’s single-minded focus on Chiethu Airport, alleging that it came at the expense of neglecting Dimapur airport. The RPP insinuated that personal interests and enrichment were driving this pursuit. The RPP suggested that if the same level of determination that was applied to Chiethu Airport had been directed toward a new Dimapur airport over the past decade, Nagaland could now boast an international airport.
While the RPP commended a few MLAs for raising pertinent issues during the recent 14th Assembly Session, it stressed that the highlighted points regarding Dimapur were serious matters that should have been thoroughly discussed and debated by all 60 MLAs.