The Nagaland State Disaster Management Authority (NSDMA), Home Department, has clarified that certain reports and information circulating in sections of the media and social media regarding disaster mitigation works in Diphupar A and Seithekhiema areas of Chumoukedima district are factually incorrect and do not reflect the approved scope of the projects.
In a statement issued in the public interest, the NSDMA said the clarification was necessary to address confusion among residents and place the facts on record.
The Authority stated that it had executed three works sanctioned under the Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment (SASCI) Scheme, strictly within the approved scope and objectives of the respective projects.
The works include restoration of flood-damaged infrastructure from K Khel to Diphupar A in Chumoukedima, which has been completed from Diphupar A Gate up to K Khel in accordance with the approved scope and site requirements.
The flash flood mitigation work at Diphupar K Khel connecting Airport Road has also been completed, with the intervention aimed at providing mitigation measures and strengthening the resilience of the affected road connectivity against recurring flash floods.
Similarly, the flash flood mitigation work from Naga United Village, Ruve Khel to Seithekhiema Basa has been completed in accordance with the approved scope, with the objective of mitigating flash-flood impacts and protecting vulnerable road infrastructure at Ruve Khel.
The NSDMA categorically clarified that these projects were sanctioned specifically for restoration of flood-damaged infrastructure and flash-flood mitigation, particularly for protecting and restoring vulnerable village road infrastructure and strengthening community resilience against recurring disaster risks.
Download Nagaland Tribune app on Google Play
“They were not sanctioned as river erosion mitigation projects,” the Authority stated.
It therefore termed reports or statements suggesting that the SASCI-funded works were intended for comprehensive river erosion protection as incorrect and said such claims did not reflect the approved scope of the projects.
The NSDMA further clarified that the works were executed departmentally by the Authority and were not awarded as contracts to any private firm or contractor.
According to the Authority, the interventions were undertaken through the approved departmental implementation mechanism and were based on technical assessments, site conditions and disaster-risk mitigation requirements of the affected communities.
River erosion measures proposed separately
The NSDMA acknowledged concerns regarding river erosion in vulnerable areas in and around Chumoukedima, but said comprehensive river erosion mitigation required separate and technically appropriate interventions that did not fall within the scope of the present SASCI-sanctioned works.
It said river erosion mitigation measures had consequently been proposed separately under the Post Disaster Needs Assessment (PDNA) and that the proposal was currently under consideration by the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India.
“Subject to its approval and sanction, appropriate river erosion mitigation interventions will be undertaken in the identified vulnerable areas,” the NSDMA stated.
Reaffirming its commitment to transparency, accountability and public safety, the Authority appealed to media organisations and social media users to verify facts and the sanctioned scope of government works before publishing or circulating information that could create misunderstanding or apprehension among the public.
The NSDMA also said it valued constructive public engagement and appreciated the role of the media and community in matters concerning public interest.
