Nagaland Chief Secretary calls for realistic assessment, stronger coordination in disaster response

Nagaland has stepped up its disaster preparedness efforts with the launch of the Nagaland Emergency Preparedness Exercise 2026, a statewide initiative aimed at strengthening emergency response systems, inter-agency coordination, and disaster readiness across all districts.

Organised by the Nagaland State Disaster Management Authority under the Home Department, the exercise includes a Table Top Exercise on April 29, a state-level mock drill on April 30, and “Operation Night Guard,” designed to assess response mechanisms under simulated disaster scenarios.

The programme is being conducted at the State Emergency Operation Centre and the Capital Convention Centre in Kohima.

Addressing a meeting during the exercise, Nagaland Chief Secretary Sentiyanger Imchen stressed the need for realistic evaluation and stronger inter-agency coordination in disaster response systems.

Imchen, who also serves as Chairman of the State Executive Committee of the NSDMA, said the core objective of NEPEx 2026 was not to showcase performance but to identify gaps, weaknesses, and operational challenges within the disaster management framework.

“Disaster preparedness is a continuous and evolving process,” the Chief Secretary said, adding that such exercises should be used as practical platforms to improve emergency response mechanisms and coordination among departments.

The inaugural session was chaired by Sentiwapang Aier and featured remarks from Abhijit Sinha.
A major highlight of the programme was the address by Sudhir Bahl, who emphasized that the exercise is focused on preparedness, coordination, and identifying gaps in emergency response systems.

Bahl stated that the mock drill is based on modeled disaster scenarios involving projected casualties and infrastructural damage to help departments validate and improve their operational readiness.
“This is about a whole-of-government approach,” he said, stressing that disaster response requires coordinated efforts from every department and agency.

The technical session included reviews of previous mock exercise observations, presentations on disaster management plans, response scenario simulations, and final coordination measures for the statewide drill.

Officials informed that all districts across Nagaland will participate in the exercise, although only five to six sites in each district will be activated as part of a scaled-down simulation to avoid disrupting normal public life.

Authorities said the NEPEx 2026 initiative is expected to significantly enhance Nagaland’s emergency preparedness capabilities and strengthen coordinated response systems in the event of future disasters.