Dimapur, September 5 (MExN): While the northeast region remains on high alert about an impending major earthquake, the state of preparedness of government machineries in Nagaland remains uncertain. Some officials in the Geology & Mining department are lamenting that the state is giving more attention only to the post-disaster management agencies.
Although there have been mock drills and practices in the past, it is not clear whether the government can handle a major disaster as has been reported that Nagaland is not fully prepared for it and that there are no machineries to meet exigencies.
While not undermining the post-disaster management agency, a senior official in the Geology & Mining department, speaking over phone, said the government should also give some attention to the pre-disaster management department. It is the one agency which tries to prevent natural calamities in the state. Saying that the department has enough manpower, the official however pointed out that there is a need for “knowledge upgradation” and more funds so the department can purchase equipments and tools that can monitor and predict earthquakes.
Another official in the department, speaking on condition of anonymity, said there is no instrument that can exactly predict the date, time and place where an earthquake would occur. However he said there are some methods such as studying animal behaviour and monitoring seismic activities that can to some extent warn of an earthquake. But to do that, the department needs funds and other logistical support. That way, experts in the department can be trained on the needful aspects.
“They (the state government) are ready for post-earthquake, they may be ready. Looking from the different seminars and exercises, we assume that they are ready,” the official said, “but with regard to pre-disaster, there is nothing.”
Saying that prevention is better than cure, the official advised that the government should give more attention to pre-disaster management, so that precautionary measures can be taken with regard to natural calamities which would ultimately cut down the cost human and property loses. It may be mentioned here that the department of Geology & Mining is the pre-disaster management department and it has set up 3 V-SAT systems, that can detect any seismic movements at Yaongyimsen (Mokokchung), Tseminyu in Kohima district and Pfutsero at Phek district, with the help of NEIST in Jorhat.
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