Kohima: Human interference is sinking Dimapur and Chümoukedima. Er Ghunavi G Kinimi, a Sub Divisional Officer with Nagaland’s Water Resources Department, confirmed that satellite imagery proves our river systems are under siege. Unchecked riverbed mining, land encroachment, and shoddy project execution have turned routine rainfall into a disaster. The destruction is mostly man-made.
Mining below the Patkai 4th Mile Bridge changed the Chathe River's path. Now, the water hits hard. It erodes banks and destroys property. During heavy rains, the river flows backward into town drains instead of clearing out. Kinimi explained the mechanics of this failure: "Instead of rainwater draining away into the river, the river water surges back into our streets and homes."
Buildings now choke off natural nallahs and drainage paths. These structures force water to stay in streets and homes. Builders are also ignoring flood return periods by placing walls and houses in zones where rivers naturally reclaim land. Kinimi warned, "When we build walls, houses, and obstacles directly in the river’s natural path, nature will eventually take its own course and reclaim that space."
Projects handled by unqualified agencies often fail. These jobs require precise hydraulic and hydrological expertise. Without it, the state wastes money on temporary fixes instead of permanent solutions. The SDO wants an immediate end to illegal mining and a mandate to clear urban encroachments. Only the Water Resources Department should handle flood control, he argues, to ensure engineers with actual expertise lead the way. He added, "Nature will always follow its own laws."
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