Kiren Rijiju assures all support as Nagaland battles with monsoon fury

August 5, 2018 617 Views No Comment

Source: DPRO Dimapur

Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, GOI, Kiren Rijiju landed at Dimapur Airport at 9.45 am on Sunday, 5th August 2018, to take stock of the alarming disasters that Nagaland has been facing due to incessant rainfall.

On arrival, the Chief Minister Nagaland, Neiphiu Rio along with Minister Urban Development, Metsubo Jamir, Minister PHED, Jacob Zhimomi, and the Nagaland State Disaster Management Authority (NSDMA) officials received him. During a brief meeting at the airport lobby, the Union Minister was shown visual and photographic presentation of the massive damages across Nagaland caused due to erratic nature of rainfall and the situational report of the most severely hit districts by OSD, NSDMA, Johny.

Thereafter, as scheduled, Union Minister Rijiju along with Neiphiu Rio and NSDMA officials took off by chopper for Kohima to undertake aerial survey of the affected sites in Kohima, Meluri-Kiphire and also the Doyang dam to see the rise of water level which has been affecting downstream including Golaghat. However, barely few minutes after taking off the entourage returned back to Dimapur as it could not land in Kohima due to bad weather conditions.

At Dimapur, while addressing a meeting at Naithu Resort, Kiren Rijiju assured the Chief Minister Nagaland and other officials of all possible help from the Home and Defence Ministries. Expressing concern that basic commodities must reach the far flung areas, Rijiju said that Air Force would be kept on stand by to aid the state emergency situation. The Union minister was visibly surprised to learn about the magnitude of devastation in Kohima, the State capital. Rijiju said that an Internal Ministerial team would be constituted and sent to Nagaland within a week’s time to prepare correct projection of the financial requirement. “Very soon we will sent the team to Nagaland and once they submit the report, relief would be released immediately,” Rijiju maintained.

While observing that problems faced by the hilly areas are more acute and different which needs due consideration, Kiren Rijiju assured that he would raised the issue with the next Finance Commission. While explaining that Home Ministry’s role was limited to rescue and relief works as per Finance Commission guidelines, he however assured to follow up with the other line ministries for restoration and re-building works. The Union minister appreciated the State government under the leadership of Neiphiu Rio, for pressing into service all available State machinery and for doing its best in combating the calamities.

Chief Minister Nagaland Neiphiu Rio on behalf of the State Government, expressed thankfulness to the Union Minister Home, for showing his concern by personally visiting Nagaland and for assuring that Delhi has not forgotten Nagaland. Stating restoration work as the main challenge, Rio requested for additional fund to start restoration works besides immediate relief. He also requested the Union Minister for granting ex-gratia to the ten lives lost due to disaster. Rio also informed Rijiju about the decision of all the PDA elected members who have decided to contribute one month salary and all party workers to give voluntary donation to manage the immediate State requirement. Rio also made an appeal to all government servants for voluntary contribution as the state reels under disaster.

Home Secretary, Rovilatuo Mor, Deputy Commissioner and Commissioner of Police Dimapur were also present in the meeting.