Achumbemo Kikon, MLA, holds review meeting over water scarcity in Wokha town.
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DIMAPUR — Concerned over the drying up of the Mt. Tiyi water source that feeds Wokha town, Achumbemo Kikon, MLA and secretary general of the Naga Peoples’ Front (NPF), on January 22 held a review meeting with officials of the district administration and the Wokha Town Council (WTC).
Kikon, who is also the chairperson of the Committee on Climate Change, Nagaland Legislative Assembly, called for urgent conservation measures to safeguard water security, the NPF press bureau stated in a press release.
Officials from the DC’s office briefed the MLA on the reduced discharge from the source. The WTC reported that the town’s historic Etsu-Cukha well—used by citizens for more than a century—had dried up even before the onset of the dry season, attributing the depletion to deforestation in the catchment area and unregulated drilling of borewells.
Following the review, Kikon and the officials visited the Etsu-Cukha well, which locals said has dried up for the first time this year.
The well, known as ‘The elite well’ during the British rule owing to its use by colonial officials, was once regarded as a dependable community water source for the town.
Terming the situation “alarming,” Kikon stressed the need for a scientific assessment of the water source and long-term protection of the catchment.
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He identified afforestation as a core intervention, stating that increasing green cover would enhance groundwater recharge and restore ecological balance. As an immediate step, the meeting resolved that each council member would personally take responsibility to plant and nurture at least 20 saplings, making the plantation drive accountable rather than symbolic.
The MLA further proposed workshops and seminars on climate change and environmental protection, alongside segregation of biodegradable and non-biodegradable waste to reduce ecological stress.
He appealed to the town council to discourage random borewell extraction and promote responsible water usage, and also urged them to initiate a massive plantation drive ahead of World Environment Day.
The deliberation was in line with the recent climate conference held in Kohima, where legislators discussed climate resilience in the Northeast.
At the conference, Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh Narayan Singh had stressed that climate change is emerging as one of the most pressing challenges for the region, calling for a holistic and community-based approach that integrates indigenous knowledge, effective town planning, and sustainable resource management.
Kikon also urged the Forest department to extend full cooperation for plantation and catchment protection activities.