Principal secretary Geology and Mining, I. Himato Zhimomi on Friday emphasised on managing and harnessing the resource with responsibility and preserving them for future generations.
He was addressing the 43rd State Geological Programming Board (SGPB) conducted by Directorate of Geology and Mining (DGM) at the DGM Conference Hall, Dimapur.
Himato said that the key to responsibility lies in informed and careful resource exploitation.
He said the process of mapping resources was resource intensive and time-consuming, however was essential for informed decision-making.
He also pointed out that the task does not conclude with resource mapping, but a responsible utilization of resources. Himato therefore urged the stakeholders to envision long term sustainability for benefit of the society and future generations. He emphasized that every individual in the department held solemn responsibility toward state’s future and advocated for collective action at the state and national levels to preserve finite resources.
Maintaining that exploitation of resources have a far reaching environmental consequences, he called for heightened emphasis on ecological safeguards in the extraction process.
“The exploitation of resources must go hand-in-hand with robust ecological safeguards”, he asserted.
He also expressed concern on the current cost-benefit ratio, and drew attention to the villagers’ readiness to relinquish land for exploitation without substantial gains.
Zhimomi expressed the hope that the Geology and Mining Department would emerge as pivotal force in the state’s planning endeavors and envisaged that richness of Nagaland’s future would be linked to the judicious management of its resources, with the department playing a central role in this endeavor.
Meanwhile, delivering welcome address, director, Geology and Mining, Khikiya Rengma, stated that the SGPB meeting has been convened primarily to coordinate and review the geological field season programmes amongst the allied organizations and also to identify priority areas for geological activities in the State.
He said the meeting was also a platform to discuss new perspectives and rationales to accelerate geosciences sector in the State. Noting that objective of the meeting would be achieved through technical deliberation, he called upon all members for active participation and to give constructive propositions.
He said that the State has abundant minor mineral resources or building materials especially sandstone deposit distributed in all districts of the State, which however still remained unexplored.
Maintaining that exploration activities were not only technical in nature but also require substantial financial capital, he proposed the matter to the Principal Secretary and expressed hope that the department would be able to put forward to the government the need to focus on mineral sector of the State and pave way to accelerate mineral exploration leading to development in the state. He also called for active contribution of GSI in achieving the mineral exploration target of the State.
As the nodal department for management of groundwater resources in the State, the director also spoke on how the department was in process of implementing Nagaland Groundwater (Regulation and Control of development and Management) Act, 2020, which would regulate all groundwater activities in the State.
He further dwelled on the works carried out and to be carried out by the department and called upon everyone to put forward their views to tackle the challenges hindering the progressive work of the department and also stimulate clear perspective and policies in minerals reform sectors of the Sate.
The technical session was moderated by Addl Director, Geology and Mining Department, Dr Kenyelo Rengma.
Agendas of the session included confirmation to the 42nd SGPB meeting, appraisal of work carried out by various agencies and department, appraisal of work done by DGM and approval of field season programme for 2024-25.
Concluding remarks were delivered by the principal secretary and vote of thanks addressed by Jt Director (M), Geology and Mining Department, Er Kereisiezo Sachu.