Monsoon lays bare cracks in Nagaland’s urban (mis)governance
By - Moa Jamir
In May 2017, this column posed the question: Is unplanned urbanisation akin to choking oneself? Eight years on, with homes submerged and roads inundated in Dimapur and related incidents in Kohima, the answer has become alarmingly self-evident. The latest spell of heavy monsoon rains has once again exposed the fragility of Nagaland’s urban infrastructure, highlighting the consequences of unregulated expansion and the disturbing lack of preparedness and response from institutions entrusted with public safety.
Such measures are imperative. For instance, Dimapur, Nagaland’s most populous urban centre, grew from a modest population of 15,767 in 1961 to nearly 3.8 lakh by 2011. This figure would have evidently increased further by 2025. Despite such exponential growth, critical infrastructure such as drainage systems, roads, and housing regulations have not kept pace. Between 2001 and 2011, the State’s overall urban population increased from 19% to 28%, with Dimapur and Kohima alone registering growth rates of over 20%. Yet, urban planning and regulation remain absent or ineffective.
In 2015, the World Economic Forum’s Global Risks Report forecast that unplanned urbanisation, especially in developing regions, magnifies vulnerabilities—ranging from inadequate public services to heightened environmental and health risks. These risks are no longer theoretical in Nagaland. Both Dimapur and Kohima are expanding into topographically fragile terrain including hillsides, flood-prone zones, and ecologically sensitive areas. However, this expansion is often carried out without proper zoning or planning. Even the Nagaland Vision 2030 document flagged this concern, but no actionable roadmap has followed.
Take Dimapur, for instance. The city’s outskirts are dotted with lavish residences and commercial properties, but basic civic amenities like drainage and paved roads are often missing. Construction continues unchecked, with little thought given to water runoff, waste management, or ecological balance. Kohima, the State capital with a ‘Smart City’ tag, fares no better.
Amid these pressing challenges, the apparent absence of institutional accountability is particularly unfortunate. Despite the ongoing flood-like situation, the nodal Nagaland State Disaster Management Authority (NSDMA) has failed to provide consistent updates or lead an effective response. Its last Facebook update was on April 26; on X (formerly Twitter), May 13. In a time when timely information can mitigate risks and reassure citizens, such silence can only be described as administrative apathy. Ditto for some other line department as well.
Equally troubling is the conspicuous silence from the political class, which is otherwise active in routinely sharing profuse greetings on birthdays and festivals via social media. The complete absence of statements, visits, or interventions so far from elected representatives, especially from the worst-affected areas like Dimapur, is striking. When constituents are wading through waist-deep water in their own homes, such silence is not merely disappointing; it is negligent.
On July 7, it was informed that Dimapur’s District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) plans to submit a comprehensive report to the government outlining long-term solutions to flash floods. While this is a step in the right direction, the real test will be whether it results in implementable action or ends up lost in bureaucratic inertia.
Nagaland does not suffer from a lack of development but from acute deficiencies in planning and implementation. The State urgently needs a coherent urban policy framework, rooted in sustainability and resilience. This must include enforceable land-use and building regulations, well-planned drainage and waste management systems, a robust prevention and mitigation plan, and disaster response mechanisms that are proactive, transparent, and reliable.
More than anything, Nagaland needs visible action, genuine accountability, and timely leadership, not just paperwork and empty assurances.The monsoon rains will return, as they do each year. Next year, the ‘Monsoon Preparedness’ exercises must withstand the test of time, not be ‘washed away’ before the first half of the season.
For any feedback, drop a line to jamir.moa@gmail.com
