Dimapur: To keep the Doyang Dam reservoir in Nagaland’s Wokha district pollution-free and promote a healthier environment, the Doyang Land Owners Union, in collaboration with the North Eastern Electric Power Corporation Ltd., organized a cleanliness drive at the Doyang reservoir.
They removed a large quantity of plastic waste, floating debris, and logs from the reservoir.
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Neighboring villages of the Doyang Hydro Electric Project (DHEP) and other organizations, including UBC Doyang, St. Thomas Catholic Church, Lotha Hoho Doyang, Esanphen Village, Thillong Village, Wondang Village, and other concerned citizens, participated in the initiative on Saturday, along with state police and central forces personnel.
The DHEP, located on the Doyang River, remains the only major river dam in Nagaland.
John Zeliang, Executive Director and Head of Plant at Doyang, who was present at the site, expressed his happiness that the Land Owners Union, churches, and the public took the initiative to clean up the dam area.
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“We cannot solve environmental issues with money or technology alone. It requires the will of the people and the participation of every individual,” Zeliang said.
He also emphasized that a cleanup exercise should not be a ceremonial event held once or twice a year.
Pointing out that the Doyang River carries a lot of floating debris from the catchment areas, he stressed that cleaning only the Doyang reservoir will not be enough.
“We must change our lifestyles in the catchment areas to keep our land, gardens, and surroundings clean, especially by reducing non-biodegradable waste,” Zeliang added.
Roland Ezung, president of the Doyang Land Owners Union, urged the Nagaland government to pay special attention to sustaining the DHEP, noting that it is the largest and only fully functional hydroelectric project in the state.
He also requested civil society organizations, unions, and associations across Nagaland to support the sustenance of the project, calling it an asset of the Naga people.
On August 11, Wokha DC Vineet Kumar announced plans to launch the second phase of the Clean Doyang Mission due to the alarming accumulation of plastic waste, floating debris, and logs in the reservoir.
He also stated that the cleanup mission would begin once the weather conditions became conducive to effective and sustained operations.
On June 7, 2024, authorities launched the six-day first phase of the Clean Doyang Mission in a mission mode, with extensive manpower and coordination, and completed it successfully.