Photo Courtesy: India Today Group
Guwahati: Gauhati University Vice-Chancellor Professor Nani Gopal Mahanta issued a stern warning on November 2. He claimed that soil conservation and landscape restoration are essential to save the Eastern Himalaya. The region faces a grim future without sustainable land and water management. Erosion threatens fertile soil across the area.
Mahanta spoke at the 14th Eastern Himalayan Naturenomics Forum. He highlighted how fragile the environment remains. "Nature takes hundreds of years to create a layer of fertile soil, yet a single spell of heavy rainfall can wash it away," he said. The VC demanded a shift toward practices that improve soil health and stop environmental decay.
Hills, forests, and wetlands exist in a delicate balance. Damage in one spot ruins river basins downstream. This causes constant flooding in Dhemaji, Barpeta, and Majuli. Assam remains particularly exposed. Nearly 40 percent of its land sits in flood-prone zones.
The forum pointed to indigenous wisdom as a fix. The Apatani community uses the Aji-Ni rice-fish system in Ziro, Arunachal Pradesh. Nagaland’s Phek district uses the 500-year-old Zabo water system. These methods help maintain fertility and stop erosion.
Assam Agricultural University Vice-Chancellor Professor Dipjyoti Rajkhowa echoed these concerns. He urged the region to focus on restoration to combat climate change. Speakers included Adrit Mishra of Tata Starbucks, Dr. Meg Lowman of the Tree Foundation, and Vaswatii Sarmah Barthakur of TSAT. The event also unveiled a new book, Wild Plants of Assam-I, by Dr. Jintu Sharma, Dr. Dipankar Bora, and Niku Das.
The day-long event drew participants from Japan, Bhutan, Nepal, Myanmar, Thailand, the United States, and New Zealand. About 1,000 students attended. Experts concluded that blending science with traditional knowledge is the only path to regional safety.
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