Drought Amid Riches
Northeast India is dubbed the “lungs of India” because of the crucial role its rich biodiversity and extensive tropical rainforests
play in balancing the ecosystem
- The Northeast India is dubbed the “lungs of India” because
of the crucial role its rich biodiversity and extensive tropical rainforests
play in balancing the ecosystem. With forest covering over 64% of its total
geographical area, the region accounts for 23.75% of the country’s total green
cover. The region is also known for fresh water sources as well as heavy
rainfall, especially during the monsoon season, often triggering landslides and
floods. Strangely, many parts of the region are facing severe water shortages
today, something that was unheard of a few decades ago. The issue was initially
limited to urban areas, basically due to rapid urbanisation and lack of proper
town planning, but it has spread to remote areas and villages. Rivers, streams,
and spring water sources that have been feeding farmlands, paddy fields, and other
agricultural activities, besides human consumption all these years, are drying
up at an alarming rate due to various reasons, including climate change and
human activities like deforestation. This is severely impacting the
availability of water, both for the humans and the ecosystems. But sadly, water
shortage is only going to get worse from here. This calls for an urgent need to
take tangible measures.
- As per the data submitted by the Union Environment Ministry
to the National Green Tribunal (NGT), more than 13,000 square kilometres of
forest land have been encroached across 25 states and Union Territories of
India as of March 2024. The north-eastern states of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh,
and Mizoram are among the states that reported significant forest encroachment.
Details about Nagaland are unknown, as it is among the states that have not
submitted their data, but the state is featured in the top five for the most
forest cover lost over four years, according to the India State of Forest
Report (ISFR) 2023. This trend is disturbing. Everybody has to pay the price in
the form of extreme weather conditions, water scarcity, natural calamities,
etc. We should be wary of the imminent far-reaching consequences our today’s
actions can have on all living organisms, including human beings. For instance,
depletion of green covers for farming, unregulated timber trade, illegal
logging, and other human activities can set off a chain reaction -- water
shortage, decline in wildlife population, human-animal conflict, extinction of
flora and fauna, etc. One thing leads to another. It’s no wonder water scarcity
has become a serious issue not only in urban settlements but also in small
villages.
