MLA Achumbemo Kikon on Thursday highlighted the growing threat of climate change and environmental degradation and urged Nagaland Government to adopt immediate and sustained measures to safeguard Nagaland’s fragile ecology.
While participating in Zero Hour during the ongoing session of the Nagaland Legislative Assembly, Kikon raised the issue on the theme “Think Globally, Act Locally”. Referring to observations by Al Gore, he underscored that climate change continued to pose an unprecedented challenge to humanity. He maintained that environmental protection was a shared global responsibility, with benefits extending beyond national boundaries.
Drawing comparisons from global indices, Kikon pointed out that Finland ranked highest in global happiness, attributing its success partly to environmental quality, while India stood at 116 among 195 countries. He also cited Bhutan as a leading example of environmental stewardship, being carbon-negative.
Kikon explained that climate change, driven largely by fossil fuel consumption since the 19th century, had led to rising global temperatures, altered weather patterns, and increasing frequency of extreme climatic events. He noted that the consequences were already evident in the form of intensified droughts, floods, storms, melting polar ice, rising sea levels, biodiversity loss, and displacement of populations. He added that global frameworks such as the Kyoto Protocol had fallen short of their intended targets.
Quoting Barack Obama, he said the present generation faced a critical responsibility to act decisively against climate change, stressing the need for renewable energy adoption, forest conservation, and sustainable living practices.
Turning to the national scenario, Kikon observed that India faced mounting climate vulnerabilities even as it pursued economic growth. He stated that the country’s average temperature had increased by about 0.7°C between 1901 and 2018, while extreme weather events in 2019 alone resulted in over 2,200 deaths and significant economic losses. He added that a large proportion of India’s population remained exposed to hydrometeorological disasters.
Referring to findings by UNICEF, he highlighted that Indian children were among the most vulnerable to climate risks, ranking 26th globally. He further noted that air pollution remained a major concern, citing estimates published in The Lancet which attributed over one million deaths in India to air pollution in 2017.
He also outlined key national missions addressing climate change, including initiatives on solar energy, energy efficiency, sustainable habitat, water conservation, Himalayan ecosystems, afforestation, sustainable agriculture, and climate knowledge systems.
Focusing on Nagaland, Kikon warned that the State was increasingly witnessing climate-related disruptions, including rising temperatures and heavy rainfall events exceeding 100 mm per day in districts such as Phek, Tuensang and Kohima. He noted that jhum cultivation, a primary livelihood for a majority of rural households, was under strain due to shortened fallow cycles, soil degradation, and erratic climatic conditions. He added that associated deforestation contributed to significant soil erosion and biodiversity loss, calling for a more balanced approach integrating traditional practices with afforestation.
Download Nagaland Tribune app on Google Play
He further stated that Nagaland had experienced 48 days of extreme weather in the previous year, with urban centres like Dimapur facing growing heat stress, even as the government pursued its long-term developmental vision.
Expressing concern over environmental degradation in hill areas, Kikon said that rivers, streams and natural springs were either drying up or had already diminished due to deforestation and unsustainable land use practices. He cautioned against borewell drilling in hilly terrains, citing reported cases such as the drying up of Etsu-Chukha in Wokha. He advocated for large-scale re-vegetation of hilltops and stream banks using native species, supported by community participation and government intervention.
Kikon also drew attention to pollution in urban water bodies, stating that streams were increasingly being used as dumping sites for plastic waste and sewage. He said this had resulted in downstream accumulation of waste, particularly in the Doyang reservoir, requiring repeated clean-up efforts. He called for mandatory cleanliness drives, strict enforcement against dumping, and proper waste disposal systems.
On river pollution, he highlighted the deteriorating condition of the Chathe and Dhansiri rivers in Dimapur, attributing it to sewage discharge, construction debris, sand mining, and unregulated extraction activities. He stressed the need for restrictions on such practices and accountability among implementing agencies.
Addressing plastic waste management, Kikon pointed out the lack of proper disposal systems in many towns and villages, leading to widespread littering and environmental pollution. He recommended the establishment of designated waste collection points, segregation systems, compost pits, and enforcement mechanisms through local bodies. He also suggested introducing a two-bin waste segregation system in schools.
On air quality, he noted that Kohima and Dimapur had been identified as non-attainment cities due to elevated PM10 levels. He identified major sources of pollution as construction activities, stone crushing units, waste burning, and vehicular emissions, and called for relocation of stone crushers and stricter regulatory oversight.
Kikon also raised serious concerns regarding coal mining practices across several districts, including Mokokchung, Mon, Longleng, Peren, Tuensang, Dimapur and Wokha. He alleged that unregulated rat-hole mining had caused extensive environmental damage, including land degradation, water contamination, and safety hazards due to unfilled pits. He further claimed that local communities were being adversely affected, with livelihoods disrupted.
Highlighting lapses in implementation, he pointed out issues such as failure to backfill mined areas, absence of reforestation, illegal mining activities, overloading of transport vehicles, and unregulated coal storage practices. He warned that acid runoff from mining sites posed a serious threat to water bodies and agricultural land.
Describing coal mining as detrimental in its current form, Kikon urged the government to reconsider the Coal Mining Licence framework, suggesting either its suspension or comprehensive revision to ensure environmental protection and accountability.
He concluded by invoking Mahatma Gandhi, stressing that sustainable use of natural resources was essential to ensure long-term ecological balance and human well-being.
