Moa Jamir
Nagaland must upgrade efforts on disaster management
The recent tragedies in Wayanad, Kerala, and Himachal Pradesh, along with the Sikkim glacial lake burst in October 2023 and the Uttarakhand disaster in February 2021, should serve as a wake-up call for Nagaland's stakeholders to take disaster management seriously beyond mere paperwork.
While incessant and heavy rain are the immediate triggers for these extreme weather events, human activities significantly contribute to their severity. Unchecked development, quarrying, deforestation, and other human interventions exacerbate these disasters.
Nagaland shares similar topography and weather conditions with these affected states, especially during the monsoon season. According to the State’s Geology & Mining Department, Nagaland falls in Zone V, a very high hazard zone in the Landslide Hazard Zonation Map of India and is plagued with numerous paleo-slides and active landslides.
One of the major landslide disasters in the last decade occurred on May 26, 2005, in Mokokchung, resulting in the loss of 16 lives, numerous injuries, and extensive property damage. During every monsoon season, most road links are periodically cut off. The regular rockslides on National Highaway-29 and the ongoing relief operations in Tuensang following severe landslides and land sinking indicate potential future risks.
Furthermore, Nagaland lies in seismic zone V, making it highly susceptible to earthquakes. The Nagaland State Disaster Management Authority (NSDMA) highlights that earthquakes are a real and potential danger due to the state's natural tectonic setting. In the past century, twelve major earthquakes have occurred in the region. Notably, the epicentre of the 1950 Great Earthquake, the sixth largest of the 20th century, was located just 7 km north of Mon, a district headquarters about 200 km from Kohima, it said. The Great Shillong Earthquake of June 12, 1897, which measured 8.7 on the Richter scale, left over 1,600 people dead and also impacted Nagaland, it added
The National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC) of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) provides critical data through its 'Landslide Atlas of India.' The database, which covers the period from 2000 to 2017, includes seasonal, event-based, and route-wise landslide inventories. During this period, over 2,132 landslides were recorded, with 2,071 occurring in 2017 alone. Seven districts in Nagaland are included among the 147 districts in 17 states and 2 Union Territories identified for their landslide exposure based on key socio-economic parameters.
Nagaland's Disaster Statistics 2023, the state’s first comprehensive disaster database, highlights the alarming rise in disaster incidents. From 760 reported incidents in 2018-2019, the number doubled to 1,515 during 2020-2021, including 335 landslides. This significant increase underscores the state’s growing vulnerability and the urgent need for effective mitigation measures.
The report, compiled by the State’s Directorate of Economics & Statistics, emphasizes the prevalence of water and climate-related incidents and calls for critical water management and climate change adaptation strategies. While landslides are categorized as geological disasters, they are closely linked to climate-related incidents.
Policy-wise, Nagaland has the Nagaland State Disaster Management Plan (SDMP) and the Nagaland State Disaster Management Rules (SDMR). The SDMP, introduced a decade ago, notes that parts of Nagaland are highly disturbed and overused due to human activities, necessitating urgent management strategies to minimize landslides. Recommendations include minimizing rock excavation and predicting slope behaviour for highways and townships. The NSDMA also advises reforestation in barren areas and caution against building houses near steep slopes, mountain edges, drains, or natural water outlets, and constructing embankments on high-gradient slopes.
The dissemination and implementation of these policies remain uncertain. The state government's push for more urbanisation, including the proposed 'global' city at Chathe Valley, poses additional challenges. While the unique landholding system complicates mitigation efforts, it is crucial to prioritize disaster prevention as a common good, with community concerns over individual. Nagaland must heed the lessons and act from recent disasters and strengthen its disaster management framework.
For any feedback, drop a line to jamir.moa@gmail.com
