Coordination workshop on civil defence held in Kohima

DIMAPUR — Nagaland joined the nationwide initiative to strengthen district-level coordination in civil defence by organising a one-day coordination meeting-cum-workshop on civil defence at the Directorate of Home Guards, Civil Defence and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) Headquarters, Kohima, on October 4.

According to a DIPR report, the programme was held in compliance with a directive from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) following the Pahalgam terror attack of April 2025 and the country’s decisive response through Operation Sindoor.

The MHA directive called for all states and union territories to convene similar meetings with the participation of deputy commissioners (controllers of Civil Defence) and district commandants of Home Guards (deputy controllers of Civil Defence) to strengthen coordination mechanisms at the district level.

Delivering the keynote address, Renchamo P Kikon, director general of Home Guards, Civil Defence and SDRF, highlighted the changing geopolitical landscape of the subcontinent in the wake of the attack, which has necessitated the mobilisation and capacity building of Civil Defence volunteers across the nation.

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He informed that, in view of this, the government of India, Ministry of Home Affairs, has conceptualised the “Scheme for Training and Capacity Building of Civil Defence”, which is to be implemented by March 31, 2026.

As part of this initiative, a memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed on June 9 between the Directorate General, Fire Service, Civil Defence and Home Guards, MHA, government of India, and the Directorate of Home Guards, Civil Defence and SDRF, Nagaland.

Under the terms of the MoU, Nagaland has been entrusted with the responsibility to train 20 Master Trainers at the Central Training Institute, Toluvi, Dimapur, and 3,600 Civil Defence wardens and volunteers across the 10 Civil Defence districts — Kohima, Dimapur, Mokokchung, Wokha, Zunheboto, Phek, Tuensang, Mon, Kiphire and Peren.

In his remarks, Medozhalie Pienyu, deputy commandant general, underlined the vital role of the warden service in the Civil Defence organisation. He urged the deputy commissioners and district officials to identify and appoint individuals of repute as Civil Defence wardens, noting that they serve as the critical link between the government and the community during emergencies and disasters.