I, Mr. Ito Yepthomi, Co-Associate Member, wish to bring to the urgent attention of the Government of Nagaland and the general public the alarming condition of the Nagaland State Disaster Management Authority (NSDMA), especially in the backdrop of the worsening natural calamities across the State.
Since 2024, Nagaland has witnessed hundreds of houses washed away by cyclones, thousands of landslides, and numerous families affected by heavy rainfall, storms, and other climate-related disasters. In such a period of severe distress for the public, NSDMA is expected to function with maximum sincerity and responsibility.
However, despite the fact that crores of rupees have been released by the Central Government under schemes such as NDRF, SDRF, and SDMF, the department has continuously failed to address these cases, leaving the affected citizens without proper support or relief. These schemes have clearly defined aims and objectives meant to support disaster-affected families—but the ground reality shows a clear failure in implementation.
To seek clarity, transparency, and accountability, we filed an RTI application on 26 April 2025 asking how these crores of rupees were utilised. Shockingly, the department failed to furnish any information, violating the RTI Act. We subsequently filed a First Appeal (FAA), but even then, the Head of Department (HOD) did not respond.
Our personal visits to the office—three to four times—also revealed that no responsible officers were present, except the receptionist. This shows a complete breakdown in the department’s functioning.
This situation raises serious questions:
- Where have the crores of rupees released for disaster relief actually gone?
- Why has NSDMA failed to assist thousands of affected households?
- Why is the department refusing to maintain transparency by ignoring RTI and FAA applications?
Through this public statement, I strongly appeal to the Hon’ble Advisor and Chairman of NSDMA to: - Immediately investigate the utilisation of funds under NDRF, SDRF, and SDMF.
- Ensure that the department becomes fully active, transparent, and responsive to public grievances.
- Address all pending disaster compensation cases without delay.
- Take strict action against officials responsible for negligence and non-compliance with RTI laws.
The people of Nagaland deserve timely relief and a disaster management authority that works sincerely, especially when lives and homes are at stake.
Issued by:
Mr. Ito Yepthomi
Co-Associate Member