Lemwang Chuhwanglim
Researcher & Activist
Natural disaster is unpredictable, however, based on certain professional researches there are speculative anticipation of it. The entire globe is alarmed with earthquake predominantly occurring with major warning in Asian continent. There are some places (Indonesia, Hawaii, Malaysia, Philippine etc.) where constant natural calamities like volcano eruption, mild earthquake and so on occur according to the locations prone to it. People in such places remain alerted with primary knowledge to respond to any kinds of disaster. It becomes a must need for the common people through the initiative of state and NGOs which becomes one of the most needful resources in the state. Similarly, such preparation is required inevitably among the Naga people at hand without any further delay. A must MOCK DRILL on how to respond to anticipated natural disaster, with certain basic needs and knowledge, needs to be organized all over Nagaland by respective offices, NGOs, Schools, Collages and others.
Aftermath of the recent 7.4 earthquake that hit Myanmar which effected Northeast India, followed by the 7.2 earthquake in Japan and 7.6 earthquake in Ecuador that killed more than 400 people, The Union Home Ministry’s Disaster Manage experts have warned the people to anticipate major earthquake with dangerous magnitude of 8.2 in the Himalayan region, which is sufficient to bring severe and uncontrollable damages to human life and others (The Time of India, 2016). Most significantly, Northeast India is indicated in a very high risk zone. Prior to this deadly phenomenon, few weather experts have reported heavy rain and storm in different parts of the Northeast Indian. Without failed, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and Manipur received heavy rainfall, hail storm and strong wind which destroyed many livelihood of the people. Places like Arunachal Pradesh and Mon Nagaland experienced major landslides that repercussion to the temporary migration of the people from the affected areas. These constant unusual natural disasters alert the ultimate major natural disaster warned by the few disaster experts.
Having informed such tremor and facing ongoing disasters, there is a genuine question to every Naga whether any preparation has been made to respond to the anticipated major disaster. Besides few precaution circulated on social media to prepare with certain basic equipment like whistle, torch, thin blanket, first aid, water, snacks and so on, how many schools, Institutions, collages, university, offices, homes and other local bodies in Nagaland have organized MOCK DRILL for people or members?
It is an urgent call for MOCK DRILL to be implemented in schools for every student to remain prepared and equipped with basic knowledge to respond during the anticipated deadly tremor. Many school children travel in peer between schools and homes without any consciousness to such knowledge and only few school children are accompanied by their parents. Every head of the school, university, collage and institution in Nagaland needs immediate and urgent call for MOCK DRILL for students on how to respond the anticipated major tremor. In addition, Government offices, NGOs offices, local apex bodies in every district, ward, sector and others should immediately organize MOCK DRILL for respective employees and members. Most importantly, educated and literate Naga citizens should rigorously share and encourage people through different means like pamphlet, banner, leaflet, bookmark, sheet ofpaper, street play and others on how to respond to the anticipated major tremor. It is extremely recommendable for the State to compulsory authorizesall the schools, offices, institutions and others to organize MOCK Drill to respond to anticipated major tremor at the earliest.
