Nagaland braces for monsoon: CM Rio urges state-wide preparedness

DIMAPUR — A state-level monsoon preparedness meeting, chaired by Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, was held at the CM’s Secretariat in Kohima on Monday.

Addressing the meeting, Rio, who is also the chairman of the Nagaland State Disaster Management Authority (NSDMA), emphasised the need for all government departments to be prepared for the unpredictable monsoon season which could bring either excessive or deficient rainfall, both of which could have disastrous effects.

The state government should allocate funds to district administrations for emergency relief efforts, he said, stressing the need for funding.

He also directed the Public Works Department (Roads and Bridges) to ensure the availability of excavators, either through hiring or contributions from contractors or private parties, in every district and engineering division. These machines, he said, will be crucial in providing immediate assistance during monsoon-related incidents.

According to an update from DIPR, the chief minister also appealed to the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) to clear all drainages, hume pipes, and culverts to prevent waterlogging and damages.

Furthermore, Rio urged the Agriculture department to ensure timely distribution of quality seeds to farmers, and instructed the Power department to be prepared for any unforeseen incidents as power cuts during the monsoon seasons cause a lot of hardship to the citizens every year.

He also instructed the Chief Secretary to arrange video conferences with all districts and schedule a meeting with him in early June to assess district preparedness for the upcoming monsoon season.

Acknowledging the vital role of civil societies in disaster response, Rio called for their inclusion in future coordination meetings.

‘Chaired state-level monsoon preparedness meeting with NSDMA and line depts. Highlighted the importance of being well-prepared to mitigate any disaster during the monsoon season. Discussed matters on response preparedness, status of essential commodities, roads etc.,’ he also wrote on X after the meeting.

During the meeting, minister for PWD (Roads and Bridges) G Kaito Aye, minister for Health and Family Welfare P Paiwang Konyak, advisor for Food and Civil Supplies and Legal Metrology K Tokugha Sukhalu, and Chief Secretary J Alam also shared their concerns and requirements for the monsoon preparedness.

Joint Chief Executive Officer of NSDMA, Johnny Ruangmei gave a presentation on ‘Monitoring and forecasting of monsoon 2024’, while the departments of PWD (R&B), CD & SDRE, Food & Civil Supplies, Health & Family Welfare, and NDRF outlined their respective monsoon preparedness plans and infrastructure upkeep reports.

Also read: Thunderstorms, gusty winds forecast for Nagaland, NE states