Governor Nand Kishore Yadav addressing the people at the residence of the Chief Angh of Longwa during his visit to Mon district on August 18. (Photo Courtesy: PRO Lok Bhavan)
Calls for stronger infrastructure, community-led disaster preparedness
Mon, August 18 (MExN): Governor Nand Kishore Yadav today called for a coordinated effort by the government, local institutions and communities to rebuild Mon district following the loss of lives and extensive damage caused by the July 19 landslide and floods.
Addressing people at the residence of the Chief Angh of Longwa during his visit to the district, Yadav said the disaster had caused “immense suffering and hardship” and conveyed his condolences to the bereaved families on behalf of the people of Nagaland. “The recent disaster has reminded everyone of the vulnerability of our State to extreme weather events. Heavy rainfall, flash floods and landslides can cause enormous destruction within a very short period,” he said.
The Governor said the immediate focus on relief and rescue must now be followed by rehabilitation and reconstruction, with particular attention to restoring roads and other infrastructure damaged by the disaster.
“The next and equally important task is rehabilitation and reconstruction. The Government and the people should work together to restore the district and help families rebuild their homes and livelihood,” he said.
Yadav also stressed that infrastructure in the future should be designed with greater consideration for extreme weather events and called for development to be balanced with environmental protection.
“Development and environmental protection must go hand in hand,” he said, while appealing to people to follow building regulations, land-use norms and technical advice, particularly in vulnerable areas. He urged communities to identify disaster-prone areas and respond promptly to official warnings and advisories. While natural disasters cannot always be prevented, he said preparedness, planning and timely action could significantly reduce their impact.
The Governor also called on the youth of Mon to take an active role in disaster preparedness, including awareness generation, communication, evacuation and community support. “The experience of the recent disaster should become an opportunity to strengthen the disaster-management systems from the village level upwards,” he said.
Yadav commended the District Administration, Nagaland State Disaster Management Authority (NSDMA), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), police, security forces, line departments, civil society organisations, churches, youth organisations and volunteers for their response to the disaster.
He also praised the people of Mon and the Konyak community for standing together during the crisis, saying “community solidarity, compassion and mutual assistance” remained among Nagaland’s greatest strengths.
Describing the Konyak community as known for its courage, resilience, strong community bonds and respect for tradition, Yadav urged the people to turn the experience into a renewed commitment to “rebuild better, safer and stronger.”
He assured that the Central and State governments would continue to extend all possible support for relief, restoration and rehabilitation. However, he said a resilient Mon would ultimately be built through a partnership between the government, local institutions and the people.
During the programme, Konyak Union president Yamao Konyak expressed gratitude to the Governor and his team for visiting Mon and briefed them on the losses and damages caused by the July 19 landslide and floods.
Konyak Students’ Union president Temwang Konyak said seven schools and 318 students were affected by the disaster.
Chief Angh of Longwa Tonyei Konyak also thanked the Governor for visiting the village and highlighted infrastructure reconstruction as one of the major challenges facing Longwa. He requested the government to upgrade the road connectivity to the village.
Yadav was accompanied by Commissioner and Secretary to the Governor Thavaseelan K IAS, Fiirhesie Nyuwi and other officials. He was received at the COB Longwa, 42 Assam Rifles helipad, by Deputy Commissioner Mon Wennyei Konyak, Superintendent of Police MP Rajya Sabha, Phangnon Konyak, Advisor Konngam Konyak, Advisor Tonyei Konyak and Chief Angh of Longwa Tonyei Konyak.
