Governor of Nagaland, Nand Kishore Yadav on Tuesday visited Longwa village in Mon district and called for coordinated efforts by the government and communities to rebuild the disaster-affected areas with greater resilience, preparedness and environmental sensitivity.
The Governor, accompanied by Commissioner & Secretary to the Governor, Thavaseelan K IAS, Fiirhesie Nyuwi and other officials, was received at the COB Longwa 42 Assam Rifles helipad by Deputy Commissioner Mon, Wennyei Konyak, NCS, Superintendent of Police, MP Rajya Sabha Phangnon Konyak, Advisor Konngam Konyak and Chief Angh of Longwa Tonyei Konyak.
Addressing the gathering at the residence of the Chief Angh, Yadav described his visit as a privilege to interact with the people of the Konyak community. Referring to the devastating landslide and flood that recently affected Mon district, he expressed deep condolences to the families who lost their loved ones and acknowledged the extensive damage caused to infrastructure, homes and livelihoods.
The Governor said the disaster had once again highlighted Nagaland’s vulnerability to extreme weather events, noting that heavy rainfall, flash floods and landslides can cause extensive destruction within a very short period. He stressed that the consequences of such disasters go beyond physical damage, affecting families, livelihoods and the overall social and economic life of communities.
Yadav appreciated the District Administration, Nagaland State Disaster Management Authority (NSDMA), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), police and security forces, line departments, civil society organisations, churches, youth organisations and volunteers for their courage and dedication during the emergency. He said their collective efforts in search and rescue, evacuation, relief and restoration reflected the strength of Nagaland’s community-based response system.
He particularly commended the people of Mon and the Konyak community for standing together during the crisis, saying that community solidarity, compassion and mutual assistance remain among Nagaland’s greatest strengths.
The Governor, however, emphasised that while immediate relief and rescue operations are crucial, equal attention must now be given to rehabilitation and reconstruction. He called for a coordinated effort between the government and local communities to restore damaged infrastructure and help affected families rebuild their homes and livelihoods.
He said restoration of roads and other essential infrastructure damaged by the disaster should remain a priority, while future infrastructure projects must incorporate greater consideration of extreme weather and disaster risks.
Yadav also stressed the importance of respecting nature and ensuring that development and environmental protection move together. He appealed to residents to follow building regulations, land-use norms and technical advice, particularly while undertaking construction in vulnerable and disaster-prone areas.
Observing that natural disasters cannot always be prevented, the Governor said their impact could be significantly reduced through advance preparedness, scientific planning, early warning systems and timely response. He encouraged communities to identify vulnerable areas and respond promptly to official warnings and advisories.
He also called for greater involvement of young people in disaster preparedness, saying youth can play a crucial role in awareness generation, communication, evacuation and community-level assistance. The experience of the recent disaster, he said, should be used as an opportunity to strengthen disaster-management mechanisms from the village level upwards.
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Highlighting the resilience and strong community bonds of the Konyak people, Yadav urged the community to turn the difficult experience into an opportunity to rebuild a safer, stronger and more resilient Mon district. He emphasised that development must reach every community while respecting the region’s environment, traditions and cultural heritage.
The Governor assured the gathering that both the Central and State Governments would continue to extend all possible support for relief, restoration and rehabilitation. At the same time, he stressed that a truly resilient Mon would emerge only through a strong partnership between government agencies, local institutions and the people.
Speaking on the occasion, Konyak Union president Yamao Konyak thanked the Governor and his team for visiting Longwa and briefed them on the losses and damages caused by the landslide and flood of July 19.
Konyak Students’ Union president Temwang Konyak stated that seven schools and 318 students had been affected by the disaster. He highlighted the impact of the disaster on the education sector and the difficulties faced by affected students.
Chief Angh of Longwa Tonyei Konyak also expressed appreciation to the Governor for visiting the village and taking note of the difficulties faced by the people. In his vote of thanks, he identified reconstruction of infrastructure as one of the major challenges before the village and appealed to the government for upgradation of roads to improve connectivity and facilitate the recovery process.
The Governor’s visit comes amid ongoing efforts to assess and address the extensive impact of the July disaster in Mon district, with emphasis now shifting from immediate emergency response towards restoration, rehabilitation, disaster preparedness and resilient reconstruction.
