For generations, the Naga people lived in close harmony with nature, drawing sustenance from the land while caring for the environment that sustained them. Although the modern concept of conservation may have been unfamiliar, living responsibly with nature was an integral part of their way of life. Today, however, that relationship appears to be steadily weakening.
As towns expand and modern lifestyles take hold, many people seem increasingly detached from the natural world. In urban centres, concrete structures and expanding roads have taken precedence over green spaces, while reconnecting with the wilderness rarely features in everyday life. Even in villages, the traditional understanding of living in harmony with nature appears to be giving way to the perception that such practices belong to an outdated way of life.
Mokokchung town offers a troubling example of this changing mindset. Along several of its main roads, there is a striking absence of roadside trees. Except for a few trees within the Assam Rifles camp, there is not a single roadside tree along the stretch from Sewak Gate to Sungkomen Ward, a distance of approximately four to five kilometres. The same is true of the roads from Rotary Junction to IOC Intersection and from Police Point to IMDH.
The absence of trees cannot be attributed solely to inadequate urban planning, though that remains an important factor. It also raises questions about how residents and authorities perceive nature and its place in urban life. A town that has failed to preserve or cultivate trees along its principal roads reflects a broader failure to recognise the value of the natural environment and the extent to which its people have become detached from nature.
Trees provide shade, improve the urban landscape, support biodiversity and help moderate local temperatures. Their presence should be considered an essential component of town planning rather than an optional embellishment.
Reversing this trend requires more than planting saplings. It calls for a change in mindset, stronger environmental awareness and deliberate efforts by authorities and residents to protect existing trees and incorporate greenery into future development.
The Naga people’s traditional relationship with nature should not be dismissed as an archaic legacy. It is a valuable inheritance that deserves renewal. Unless that connection is restored, the cost of neglecting nature may eventually be borne by the very communities that depend on it.