Contributed papers presented at the Seminar on 'the Mother Earth, ' held on June 5, 2002, at North East India Council for Social Science Research.

Contributed articles presented at the annual academic session of North East India Geographical Society on 9th Feb., 2008.

The contributors deal with the various problems and prospects of the north-eastern rivers as well as progress made by them in the physical, social and cultural aspects of the region. They also make indepth study of some individual rivers and their tributaries, highlighting their historical, physical, cultural and economic significance.

North east India is a global biodiversity hotspot but a quite understudied area. Forest loss has always been problematic in the area. Using Landsat satellite data from three periods (70s, 80s/90s and 2010s), forest loss is assessed in sample protected areas and other sites in the study area, processing is undertaken using image processing and standard GIS tools. The landscape metrics of selected sites are assessed using the widely used program FRAGSTATS. Drivers of forest loss are central in the discussion of the study.

North East India is an integral part of an Indo- Burma hot spot region and popularly known as 'paradise unexplored'. Present book 'Environmental Issues and Sustainable Development of NE India' discuss and review the works performed on multifaceted environmental issues like biodiversity of North East (NE) India with special reference to forestry/agroforestry, sacred groves/forests, shifting cultivation, impact of shifting cultivation on air quality, Bamboo flowering and its impact on soil, Agroforestry implications in sustainable development, Role of traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) in biodiversity conservation and sustainable development with special reference to ethnomedicinal plants used for primary health care system of diverse tribes in North East India. Further, the book addresses the issue and multifaceted mechanism related with plant invasion with description of a case study from NE India. Also, the NE India is a primate paradise and author reviews the Western Hoolock Gibbon (Hoolock hoolock) with the description of research in Assam and Mizoram of NE India. Moreover, the book describes the sustainable phytotechnologies like phytoremediation of water and air.

With high urbanization rates, advancement in technologies, and changes in consumption behavior of people, wastes generated through the daily activities of individuals and organizations pose many challenges in their management. The articles presented in this edited volume deal with the attempts made by the scientists and practitioners to address contemporary issues in geoenvironmental engineering such as characterization of dredged sediments, geomaterials & waste, valorization of waste, sustainability in waste management and some other geoenvironmental issues that are becoming quite relevant in today's world. This volume is part of the proceedings of the 1st GeoMEast International Congress and Exhibition on Sustainable Civil Infrastructures, Egypt 2017.

Contributed articles.

This volume explores the dynamics of urbanisation in Northeast India. It discusses the impact of the process of urbanisation on the environment, infrastructure and socio-economic conditions of the region. The chapters in the book: Examine various challenges and opportunities of urbanisation, such as frontier urbanism, urban congestion, smart cities, vernacular architecture, urban water and waste management, cross-border migration and ethnicity. Draw attention to critical issues that have massively disturbed the urban landscape including deterioration of water quality, seismic activity and air pollution. Give alternatives that could present possible solutions to the problems afflicting this region. Drawing on case studies rooted in extensive fieldwork, this book will be indispensable to researchers and students of urban studies, human geography, development economics, cultural studies and South Asian studies. It will also be of interest to policy-makers, government representatives and town planners.

North-East India, comprising the seven contiguous states around Assam, the principal state of the region, is a relatively unknown, yet very fascinating region. The forest clad peripheral mountains, home to indigenous peoples like the Nagas, Mizos and the Khasis, the densely populated Brahmaputra valley with its lush green tea gardens and the golden rice fields, the moderately populated hill regions and plateaus, and the sparsely inhabited Himalayas, form a unique mosaic of natural and cultural landscapes and human interactions, with unparalleled diversity. The book provides a glimpse into the region’s past and gives a comprehensive picture of its physical environment, people, resources and its economy. The physical environment takes into account not only the structural base of the region, its physical characteristics and natural vegetation but also offers an impression of the region’s biodiversity and the measures undertaken to preserve it. The people of the region, especially the indigenous population, inhabiting contrasting environments and speaking a variety of regional and local dialects, have received special attention, bringing into focus the role of migration that has influenced the traditional societies, for centuries. The book acquaints the readers with spatial distribution, life style and culture of the indigenous people, outlining the unique features of each tribe. The economy of the region, depending originally on primitive farming and cottage industries, like silkworm rearing, but now greatly transformed with the emergence of modern industries, power resources and expanding trade, is reviewed based on authentic data and actual field observations. The epilogue, the last chapter in the book, summarizes the authors’ perception of the region and its future.

This book covers themes related to the geosphere, biosphere, sociosphere and ecosphere dealing with changing geographical, environmental and socio-economic realities to plan a sustainable future for the northeast region (NER) of India. The NER consists of eight states—Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Tripura, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Meghalaya and Sikkim—and they carry political, economic and social importance. The book integrates the past, present and future of geospheric attributes incorporating progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to meet the demands for improving human wellbeing under diverse and challenging socio-economic, political and environmental conditions. The key SDGs, as in food and agriculture, health, education, water, energy and other overarching goals of the region, have yet to incorporate providing sustainable jobs and promoting equality and inclusive development, although there have been a few studies in that regard. The challenges to achieve SDGs in the NER are formidable compared to the rest of India. The NER has put a great deal of effort into achieving the SDGs, mainly in poverty (SDG-1), good health (SDG-3), education (SDG-4), gender (SDG-5), decent work (SDG-8) and reduced inequalities (SDG-10), similar to the rest of the country. However, the standard development indicators such as road length, access to health care, power consumption and other measures are far below the national average. A multi-pronged strategy has played a pivotal role in the region, but development strategy to attain the SDGs 2030 must be more inclusive in empowering people with maximising self-governance, considering the resources, needs and aspirations of the people. This book evaluates the performance of the SDGs and fills in the gaps. It includes case studies focusing on different SDGs using advanced cartographic, statistical and GIS techniques and methods. It also provides unique findings that serve as valuable resources for planners and policy-makers so that a sustainable future in Northeast India can be achieved.