Debriefing with the Inter - Ministerial Central Team (IMCT) for on-the-spot assessment of damage caused due to landslide, flash flood and flood in Nagaland during 2024, was convened under the chairmanship of the Chief Secretary & Chairman SEC NSDMA at the Conference Hall of Chief Secretary, Civil Secretariat, Kohima on 13 September, 2024.
Advisor to the Nagaland State Disaster Management Authority (NSDMA), Z Nyusietho Nyuthe speaking at the program said that natural calamity is not a one time issue but people of Nagaland witness natural calamity and disaster in various forms throughout the year. He therefore urged the team to highlight the various challenges faced by the people of the state to the central government.
Joint secretary (FFR), Ministry of Home Affairs, Anant Kishore Saran during the meeting said that the geological condition of Nagaland is very fragile and such natural disasters reoccur yearly due to terrain and the other factors which are contributory to the disaster.
Anant also assured the state government that under central assistance schemes immediate relief work will be provided to the state. He also assured that through their suggestion and recommendation from their findings long term measures and schemes will be recommended for the state to the Ministry of Home Affairs.
He also suggested that the current office memorandum also requires a revision both in terms of the content citing that the disaster mitigation captured is not up to date. He also urged all the Head of Department of the line departments to get a copy of the office memorandum which gives the details of various categories of central assistance.
He also expressed his regret of not being able to visit all the other disaster affected areas but said that visiting few of the affected areas, the team was able to assess the massive damage and assured of earliest assistance specially focusing on road connectivity.
Anant stated that the NSDMA and the government of Nagaland are doing a laudable job in addressing and tackling disaster adding that the technological intervention and scientific way of tackling disaster is recommendable.
Chief Secretary, Dr J Alam, IAS during the meeting informed the central team about the various challenges Nagaland faces especially during monsoon season and urged the team to support the state with timely assistance specially focusing on road and its maintenance. Alam also thanked the central team for visiting the state and assessing the damages.
OSD, Nagaland State Disaster Management Authority, Johnny Ruangmei presented a brief overview of the monsoon damage by IMCT and NSDMA along with the DDMAs and officials from all the line departments.
The IMC team included Assistant Director, Ministry of Rural Development Ranjana Saini; Superintending Engineer Ministry of Jal Shakti, CWC, MS Saravana Kumar; Superintending Engineer Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, Adelbert Susngi and Section Officer Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance, Atul Bamnai.
(Esuihangle IA)
