Heavy and incessant rains have once again exposed the deep vulnerability of Nagaland’s infrastructure and the fragility of its lifelines. In recent days, landslides have cut off major highways, severing districts from the rest of the state, while families have seen their homes dragged down by collapsing earth. These incidents are not isolated acts of nature but recurring calamities that remind us of the urgent need for preparedness and robust planning.
The Maram–Peren Road, now completely severed, or the Pagalapahar stretchof NH-29 are critical examples of how vulnerable our arterial routes remain. How long will Nagaland continue to live at the mercy of nature without investing in durable solutions?
It is encouraging that the NSDMA convened an emergency meeting. Yet convening meetings has never been enough. What Nagaland needs is not reactionary measures but proactive and sustained planning. Disaster-resilient construction, particularly in roads and bridges, must no longer remain a mere recommendation but should be enforced as a non-negotiable standard. The hilly terrain of our state is well known, and so are the patterns of rain-induced calamities. To continue building in the same vulnerable manner is a betrayal of public trust.
The personal tragedies in Mokokchung must also not be ignored. At Aongza Ward, an entire family was displaced in seconds, their house torn apart by a landslip. At Penli Ward, another household now lives in fear and at the mercy of nature. These are not just stories of damaged property but of lives uprooted, dignity lost, and futures thrown into uncertainty. For daily wage earners, rebuilding a home on unstable land is not simply a question of willpower but of survival without resources. Relief must reach them swiftly and in adequate measure, not as token gestures but as serious support that acknowledges the scale of their loss.
Nagaland cannot afford complacency. Each year the rains return, and each year the same stories of destruction repeat. Roads crumble, homes collapse, and families seek shelter with neighbors. Unless the state shifts from short-term patchwork repairs to long-term resilience planning, this cycle will continue to deepen. We must ask ourselves if our policies, budgets, and engineering practices are truly designed for our terrain and climate. Nature will not wait for our convenience.