Chakhesang Public Organisation opposes a proposed mountain radar installation at Pfutsero, citing health, environmental and land concerns, and seeks relocation outside Nagaland.
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DIMAPUR — The Chakhesang Public Organisation (CPO) has strongly opposed the proposed installation of advanced mountain radar systems at Pfutsero under the Government of India’s high-altitude defence programme, demanding that the project be halted and relocated outside Nagaland.
In a press release issued on Thursday, the apex body representing the Chakhesang community said the proposal is “wholly unacceptable in any form” in the absence of transparent, location-specific safety studies and informed public consent. It stated that a project of such magnitude, with implications for human health, land and livelihoods, cannot be undertaken without the knowledge and approval of the affected people.
The organisation raised concerns over potential health risks, particularly electromagnetic radiation exposure from high-powered radar systems in a high-altitude and densely inhabited area. It said the absence of publicly available health impact assessments, radiation benchmarks and clearly defined safety buffer zones has deepened public apprehension.
“Without credible and independently verified data, the local population cannot be expected to accept assurances at face value where long-term health risks may be involved,” the organisation stated.
The CPO also flagged environmental and livelihood risks, noting that Pfutsero and surrounding areas are ecologically sensitive and dependent on agriculture. It warned that large-scale installations could disrupt catchment areas, natural water systems, biodiversity and land stability, directly affecting agriculture, food security and livelihoods.
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On land and civil rights, the organisation said experiences from similar defence installations indicate possible restrictions on land use and movement, including creation of controlled zones and limitations on access to residential and agricultural areas. It maintained that such restrictions are unacceptable in a region where land is closely tied to identity, inheritance and community survival.
The organisation further expressed concern over what it described as a lack of transparency, stating that the project, reportedly conceived as early as 2014, has remained largely undisclosed to the public.
It held the state government responsible for allowing the advancement of the proposal without prior consultation or consent, terming it “a grave breach of public trust and a disregard for established democratic and customary processes.”
In its demands, the CPO called for an immediate halt to all plans for installation at Pfutsero and sought relocation of the radar system to areas outside Nagaland, preferably to uninhabited or less sensitive locations.
The organisation also framed its opposition in historical terms, citing the Naga position before the Simon Commission in 1929 — “Leave us alone” — and said it continues to reflect the collective aspiration to live without external imposition on land, rights and way of life.
Reaffirming its position, the organisation said any attempt to proceed with the project would be met with “firm, democratic, and united resistance.”