In anticipation of the upcoming monsoon season, the Nagaland government held a high-level preparedness meeting on May 20 at the Chief Minister’s Conference Hall, Nagaland Civil Secretariat. The meeting was chaired by Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, who also heads the Nagaland State Disaster Management Authority (NSDMA). CM Rio emphasized the importance of ensuring adequate stocks of essential commodities across all districts. He directed departments to monitor fair price shops and uphold consumer rights, urging immediate reporting of any shortages. Expressing concern over traffic movement during heavy rains, he asked the PWD to regulate truck loads on national highways and instructed police and administration to conduct routine road checks.
Rio also stressed the need to revive the State Quality Control Board and asked the Chief Secretary to conduct video conferences with all Deputy Commissioners for district-level updates. Minister for Roads and Bridges, G Kaito Aye, highlighted the urgency of resilient road infrastructure, calling on NHIDCL to assume greater responsibility. He also urged earmarking emergency funds for monsoon-related responses. PHED Minister Jacob Zhimomi emphasized strict road construction protocols due to Nagaland’s watery soil conditions and called for thorough soil testing and clean-up after works.
A forecast presented by NSDMA Joint CEO Johnny Ruangmei warned of erratic rainfall patterns impacting agriculture, advocating for data-driven planning and community-based disaster risk reduction strategies. Presentations were also made by departments including PWD, NHIDCL, H&FW, F&CS, SDRF, and NDRF, focusing on infrastructure resilience, health preparedness, and emergency response readiness.
