CPO opposes proposed mountain radar installation at Pfutsero

Chakhesang Public Organisation (CPO) has expressed strong opposition to the proposed installation of an advanced mountain radar system at Pfutsero under the Government of India’s high-altitude defence programme.
In a press release, CPO president Vezühü Keyho and general secretary Chepetso Koza stated that the absence of transparent, location-specific safety studies and lack of informed public consent made the project wholly unacceptable. It said an initiative with far-reaching implications for human health, land and livelihoods could not be implemented without the knowledge and approval of the affected people.
The organisation raised concerns over possible health risks from electromagnetic radiation, pointing out that no site-specific health impact assessments or safety benchmarks had been made public. It said the absence of credible and independently verified data had heightened public apprehension.
CPO also highlighted environmental and livelihood risks, noting that Pfutsero and its surrounding areas were ecologically sensitive and agriculturally dependent. It cautioned that large-scale installations could affect water systems, biodiversity, land stability and food security.
Further, the organisation expressed concern over potential impact on land rights and civil liberties, stating that similar defence infrastructure often led to restrictions on land use, movement and access to agricultural areas. This, CPO said would create a controlled zone and potential conflicts with authorities, which was unacceptable in the region where land is deeply tied to identity, inheritance and community survival.
CPO criticised the lack of transparency, alleging that the project, reportedly conceived in 2014, had remained undisclosed to the public. It held the state government responsible for initiating and permitting such sensitive project to advance without prior consultation or consent, terming it a breach of public trust and disregard for established democratic and customary processes.
The organisation demanded immediate halt to the project and relocation of the proposed radar system outside Nagaland, preferably to less sensitive or uninhabited areas.
The Chakhesang community, it said, has upheld the principles of peace, dignity and self-determination, and therefore rejects the imposition of defence installations within its jurisdiction. CPO also reiterated the historic sentiment expressed before the Simon Commission in 1929– “Leave us alone”– stating that it continues to reflect the collective aspiration of the Naga people to live without external imposition on their land, rights and way of life.
CPO categorically opposed the proposed radar installation at Pfutsero and warned that any attempt to proceed would be met with firm, democratic and united resistance.