A five-member inter-ministerial central team is in Nagaland on a four-day visit to assess the damage caused by recent floods and landslides in the state.
The team, headed by Joint Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs, KB visited Ralan and Bhandari areas under Wokha district to assess the damage on Wednesday morning. In the evening, it took stock of the situation arising out of the major landslides in and around Kohima district.
Other members of the central team are director in charge of department of agriculture and cooperation, Kolkota, Dr K. Manohoran, consultant, department of expenditure, RB Kaul, an official from the ministry of road transport and highway Guwahati, Anirban Acharya, and another official from the department of rural development, Chahat Singh.
The Nagaland State Disaster Management Authority, along with district disaster management authorities and officials from all the line departments, is accompanying the team to the worst affected areas.
After their arrival here on Tuesday, the central officials visited Niuland sub-division under Dimapur district and interacted with the affected farmers of Niuland and bordering villages. The team will be in the state till Friday.
The farmers, during the interaction, narrated the extent of damage caused to their crops by the recent floods.
On the way to Niuland, the team stopped by at Balijan Bridge that has been completely washed away. The team also visited Yeveto village to take stock of the ground reality of the damages caused to plantation and crops due to the change of river course.
Dimapur Deputy Commissioner Sushil Kumar Patel briefed the central team on the extent of the damage in district.
On August 4, Union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju, accompanied by Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio and senior central and state government officials, made an aerial survey of the some of the flood and landslide-affected areas in the state.
During his visit, Rijiju assured to send the central team to assess the damage caused by floods and landslides following unprecedented rains.
He also assured to provide all assistance to the state to deal with the natural calamity that caused loss of human lives and damage to properties besides cutting off many parts of the state.