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Although the impact of climate change is very high all over the world, the northeastern region of India consisting of eight states will also bear the brunt in the near future, despite 65 percent of the region’s geographical area of 2,62,179 km². he is under the forest. he said.
However, according to the India Forest Status Report 2021 (ISFR 2021), the forest cover in the country’s 140 hill districts showed a decline of 902 sq km (0.32 percent), with all the eight districts of the state The northeast also showed a decline.
Experts have predicted that apart from the gradual decline in forest cover, urbanization, increasing pollution in northeastern cities, water depletion and various other factors along with global climate change will not spare the beautiful region. many.
They said the climate in the mountainous north-eastern region of India is changing, with the region’s rainfall over the past century greatly altered, resulting in overall dryness.
Various official and unofficial studies have revealed that between 2001 and 2021, the northeastern region saw the greatest loss of forest cover.
According to the Climate Vulnerability Assessment 2018, among the eight northeastern states, Assam and Mizoram have been identified as the most vulnerable states to climate change.
Tripura Water and Environment Research Center based in Tripura and environmental expert Apurba Kumar Dey said that the impact of climate change is very wide and multi-faceted, the government and all other stakeholders who are closely related to the people should come together to deal with the situation.
“Tribals, poor and vulnerable people and farmers are disproportionately affected by the weather, from rice to tea, farmers are generally affected by varying temperatures and rainfall, causing hardship to the people directly and others. indirectly.” Dey told IANS.
Chief Agricultural Research Scientist of India Council Dr Sankar Prasad Das said that the extreme events of climate change, including excessive rainfall, frequent floods, increase in the number of dry days and days without rain, cyclones Frequent and hail in a short period of time, is very difficult. disaster.
“Although the general pattern of rainfall in the region has not changed much, the distribution of rainfall has changed in the region, some of the effects of climate change, including higher temperatures, science and research preparations are ready to address them. situation. in the coming years, but for the extreme events of climate change, we are not ready,” Das told IANS.
He said that there are many types of crops that have been developed to sustain the rising temperatures and floods in a limited area.
Das said that in India, only 50 percent of the cultivated land is under irrigation, while 35 to 40 percent of the cultivated land in the northeastern region is irrigated.
“Despite many challenges and problems, India last year exported 22 million tons of rice while the country has 316 million tons of food surplus,” said the scientist.
Head of Northeast India’s ‘Aaranyak’ Water, Climate and Hazards Division, Dr Partha Jyoti Das, said Bharalu, Mora Bharalu, Basistha, Bahini, Pamohi, Khanajan, Kalmoni, and Bondajan are some. one of the famous rivers. and city drainage streams.
Deepor Beel, Borsola, Sarusola and Silsako are the main wetlands that act as storm water reservoirs in Guwahati city.
“It is worth noting that several of these ponds are interconnected and connected to the water, which means that they carry and mix the water. When it comes to the wetlands, the connecting roads have disappeared, and due to poor construction and land development.
“Rapid urban growth and development coupled with massive population growth have dramatically changed Guwahati’s landscape, environment, natural resources, demographics, and society over the past 50 years,” Jyoti Das said.
He said the unplanned growth of the city, both vertically and horizontally, has put a huge strain on its resources and environment, witnessing widespread encroachment and human encroachment on the fragile hills, forest reserves. and water degradation.
“The increasing environmental degradation in Guwahati city has led to the slow and steady death of many of the rivers, streams, wetlands, and natural stormwater reservoirs.
“Urban water bodies are facing serious threats from pollution, environmental degradation, and physical degradation,” Jyoti Das said.
Forest land in the hill districts of the northeastern region has shown a decline, according to the ISFR 2021 report.
Arunachal Pradesh, which has 16 hilly districts, showed a loss of 257 sq km of forest cover according to the 2019 assessment, followed by Assam’s three hills (- 107 sq km), Manipur’s nine hills (- 249 sq km) , Mizoram’s eight hill districts (- 186 sq km), Meghalaya’s seven hill districts (- 73 km), Nagaland’s 11 districts (- 235 km²), Sikkim’s four districts (- 1 sq km), and Tripura’s four districts ( – 4 sq km). ).
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The above article was reprinted from Wire Source with minor edits to the headline and text.
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