Kohima, May 1: The Chakhesang Public Organisation (CPO) has strongly opposed the proposed installation of an advanced mountain radar system at Pfutsero under the Centre’s high-altitude defence programme, citing health, environmental, and land rights concerns.

In a statement issued Thursday, the tribal body representing the Chakhesang community of Nagaland’s Phek district said the project lacked transparency and had advanced without informed consent from the public. It argued that the absence of location-specific safety studies rendered the initiative “wholly unacceptable.”

The organisation raised alarm over potential health risks from electromagnetic radiation, noting that no independently verified data on long-term exposure, safety benchmarks, or buffer zones had been made available. It further warned that Pfutsero’s ecologically sensitive and agriculturally dependent landscape could face disruption to water sources, biodiversity, and land stability, directly threatening livelihoods and food security.

The CPO also expressed apprehension that such installations often lead to restricted civilian movement and land-use limitations, undermining residential and agricultural access. Criticising the state government for allegedly allowing the project to progress without prior consultation, the group described the move as a “grave breach of public trust.”

Calling for the radar system to be relocated outside Nagaland to less sensitive or uninhabited areas, the organisation warned that any attempt to proceed would be met with “firm, democratic, and united resistance.”