Chief Minister of Nagaland and Chairman Nagaland State Disaster Management Authority, Neiphiu Rio called on all departments to be prepared to tackle any disaster that the state may face in the monsoon season. Giving his remarks during a monsoon preparedness meeting which was held at the CM Residential Complex on Thursday, he said that more weather forecasts should be given to the public and awareness should be checked at the local level, DIPR informed.

Good roads with proper drainage should be maintained by the PWD(R&B) and NHIDCC. The laying of cables on the road should be deep enough and should be done with prior consultation from the department concerned.

He called on the Home Guards and Civil Defence/State Disaster Response Force (CD/SDRF) to ensure that their forces are properly trained and ready to be deployed anytime anywhere.

Sufficient stock of medicine should be kept by the Health & Family Welfare Department for use in medical emergencies.

The PHED department was asked to ensure the supply of good and clean drinking water and made available even during the monsoon season, besides the Food and Civil Supplies department was asked to keep a check on their godowns and stores with proper roads connectivity both in the districts and other rural areas.

Advisor NSDMA, Z. Nyusietho Nyuthe lamented that many of the natural disasters in the state are manmade and can be avoided if people learn to take care of little things first like clearing roads and blockages, and keeping proper drainage systems before they turn into bigger disasters.

Earlier NSDMA, PWD (R&B) and NHIDCL, HG & CD/SDRF, Health and Family Welfare gave a PowerPoint presentation.