Collaboration, not blame game, needed to tackle floods, says Nagaland Minister

Nagaland’s Tourism and Higher Education Minister Temjen Imna Along has called for collaboration, rather than blame, to effectively address natural disasters like flooding. Assam and Nagaland should work together to minimize the impact of such calamities, he said. Many people in Assam attribute the recent devastating flood in eastern Assam’s Sivasagar, Charaideo, and Jorhat districts to illegal mining and large-scale deforestation in Nagaland.

Since April, the flood and similar incidents claimed 95 lives in 14 districts, affecting over 7.5 lakh people. Along, a senior BJP leader, stated that the Nagaland government has taken note of Assam’s Chief Minister’s comments and believes both state governments are communicating about the situation. He emphasized that instead of blaming each other, the focus should be on taking collective measures to prevent such disasters.

Nagaland too suffered losses, with 11 people killed in Mon town after landslides triggered by heavy rainfall on July 19. Along noted that Nagaland is undertaking afforestation and biodiversity conservation efforts to restore ecological balance. Meanwhile, Assam’s Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced a crackdown on unauthorized flood relief collection drives, warning of strict police action against those demanding donations in the name of flood victims.

Such fundraising activities have been reported in Guwahati and other urban centers. Education Minister Ranoj Pegu announced that regular classes in schools across the affected districts would resume from August 10, with alternative arrangements for students in institutions unfit for reopening.