Mumbai, Aug. 31 -- The Nagaland Government has told the National Green Tribunal (NGT) that it will acquire land at Xukiye village in Niuland district to establish an Integrated Zonal Waste Processing Centre serving Dimapur, Chumoukedima and Niuland. The submission formed part of an additional compliance report filed in the Sunrise Colony dumping area matter.

The decision follows failure to operationalise a previously acquired site at Dobagaon, where the state had bought 10.74 acres for a waste management site and landfill for the Dimapur Municipal Council. The council took possession in May 2026, but work could not start owing to strong local opposition and concerns that the site failed to meet Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016 criteria amid severe erosion by the Dhansiri River.

The Government has proposed acquiring 50 acres at Xukiye and conveyed approval to the Commissioner and Director of Land Revenue on July 27, 2026, while seeking a time extension to meet compliance timelines and aiming to make the site operational within eight months. The centre is intended to serve the Dimapur Municipal Council, East Dimapur, Chumoukedima and Niuland town councils, rural local bodies and peripheral settlements across the districts.

The August submission listed completed works at the Sunrise Colony dumpsite, including a green belt and buffer zone created in May 2024, linear drainage constructed in July 2026 and fencing completed by June 2, 2026. Six CCTV cameras were commissioned in August 2025, bio-remediation is reported at 60 to 100 metric tonne (t) per day and bio-mining is 80 per cent complete with expected completion within two years. Pending items include a weighbridge, a concrete slab for waste processing and an effluent treatment plant.

The NGT Eastern Zone Bench recorded the filing on August 7 and said its February 3, 2023 order remains unfulfilled, expressing strong displeasure and warning of possible heavy costs on officials if non-compliance continues. The Tribunal granted the Chief Secretary and the Municipal Commissioner an opportunity to file further compliance affidavits with specific undertakings and dates; the next hearing is listed for October 14, 2026.

Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Construction World.