Shillong: Meghalaya is scrapping its reactive disaster policy. Disaster Management Minister Lahkmen Rymbui told the Assembly on Wednesday that the state will now prioritize mitigation over post-disaster cleanup. The shift aims to stop catastrophes before they begin. Projects are already underway to tackle forest fires, lightning risks, and flooding.
The government is putting cash into the State Disaster Mitigation Fund. They are building retaining walls and fixing drainage systems to harden infrastructure. Rymbui says these projects are essential investments. "The approach under the Disaster Management Act now encompasses prevention, mitigation, preparedness, response, recovery, and resilience," Rymbui stated.
Officials are running mock drills across the state. They are also building better early-warning systems to alert residents fast. This strategy treats safety as a preventative measure. The state wants to cut disaster losses through structural work and community grit.
Updated at 27th August 2026 at 5:45am
The Opposition slammed the government during the session, with TMC MLA Miani D Shira demanding more transparency on how the State Disaster Mitigation Fund is used. She pushed for better training for officials and locals to handle the rising threat of cyclones and landslides. Opposition Leader Dr. Mukul Sangma piled on, claiming authorities still fixate on handing out relief instead of doing the hard work of prevention. He pointed to roads in the Garo Hills that get wrecked over and over because officials refuse to build preventive defenses. He also flagged that fire victims are still waiting for relief payments despite money being available.
TMC MLA Mizanur R Kazi exposed confusion in government reports regarding flood protection in West Garo Hills, noting that departments gave conflicting accounts on whether embankments needed reinforcement. Kazi argued that the state needs a permanent, professional squad for disaster management rather than relying on a revolving door of contractual staff. The Opposition demanded a clear plan for hiring permanent workers and better teamwork between the agriculture, water resources, and disaster management departments to stop infrastructure from collapsing every season.
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