G.B. Pant National Institute of Himalayan Environment

Brief about North-East (Itanagar) Regional Centre...........

The North East Regional Centre was set up in the year 1989 and started functioning from Chuchuyimlang, Mokokchung in Nagaland. In 1997, the Centre was shifted to Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh and since then, the Centre has been meaningfully contributing to the cause of conservation and development of the entire NE region, which is known for its rich diversity, be it biological, socio-cultural, linguistic or ethnic focusing on identified priorities such as

1. People-centered land use models for shifting cultivation areas,
2. Indigenous knowledge systems and natural resource management options for tribal communities,
3. Biodiversity conservation and integrated development,
4. Appropriate low cost technologies for improved livelihood and
5. Environmental assessment of developmental initiatives in NE region.

Technological Achievements

1.	Up scaling of technology dissemination and backstopping in five states the NE region with the help of seven Partner NGOs.
2.	Institutionalizing technology backstopping & capacity enhancement for sustainable agricultural development and encouraging entrepreneurship development based on simple rural technologies within the tribal areas of North East India.
3.	Exploring eco-tourism as a potential tool for biodiversity conservation and sustainable livelihood in Indian Himalayan Region.
4.	Preparation of Wildlife management plan / Biodiversity conservation plan for Trans Arunachal Highways
5.	Documentation of policies and laws including land tenure systems for comprehensive study of shifting agriculture in the NE States of India and Suggest measures to make it ecologically, economically and socially viable.
6.	Shifting agriculture: issues and options with focus on adaptive interventions to make it ecologically, economically and socially viable.
7.	People centered land use development in the shifting agriculture affected areas in Arunachal Pradesh;
8.	Documentation of Fallow management practices among the Tangkhuls of Ukhrul District, Manipur in their Two year plus Shifting Cultivation Systems
9.	Biodiversity Conservation through community based natural resource management in Arunachal Pradesh.
10.	Exploring cultural landscape as the basis for l biodiversity conservation linking it with sustainable development of Arunachal Pradesh, India.
11.	Development of baseline information and identification of potential corridors for Namdapha National Park (Tiger Reserve) and Mouling National Park, in North East Region
12.	Ichthyofaunal diversity of rivers of NE region
13.	Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) of Hydropower Projects in the Indian Himalayan Region.
14.	Understanding biodiversity patterns and processes under changing resource use and climate scenario in Indian Himalaya – ecological and social implications.
15.	Strengthening the practice of shifting cultivation with appropriate scientific and technological interventions within the traditional framework of Jhum in Nagaland
16.	Introduction of four SALT models in demonstration plots using N2 fixing species in Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh; Establishment of demonstration models on appropriate technologies for soil conservation and farming systems in Arunachal Pradesh.
17.	Impact of CHFST on the land capability restoration in upland agriculture; mpact of multipurpose contour hedgerow on crop productivity and soil fertility in shifting agricultural lands
18.	Designing, developing and testing sustainable natural resource management through appropriate technologies for soil conservation farming system technology
19.	An assessment of agricultural production and strategy for sustainable development of bioresources by identifying issues and options for improving livelihood of marginalized farmers in shifting cultivation areas in North-East India
20.	Biodiversity characterization of landscape level through Remote Sensing and other GIS in Arunachal Pradesh
21.	Preparation of location map of proposed Tsangyang Gyatso - World Peace Park/ Biosphere Reserve
22.	Inventorization of the NTFPs for seven states of NE India.
23.	Inventorisation of floristic diversity of north east India and development of biodiversity indice; Inventorisation of rare, endangered and threatened, and endemic elements of NE India has also been done.
24.	Identification of traditionally utilized potential soil nutrient enhancement resources for different land use practices in selected watersheds of Arunachal Pradesh.
25.	Documentation of traditional soil and water conservation (SWC) practices among the tribes of Arunachal Pradesh; Estimation of runoff and soil loss was done at selected villages in Senkhi watershed in Papumpare district in Arunachal Pradesh
26.	Documentation of indigenous knowledge systems of different tribal communities including documentation of traditional pest management practices

New inventories to science

The NE Regional Centre has discovered four new species of fishes (1). Erethistoides senkhiensis, (2). Glyptothorax dikrongensis, (3). Pseudolaguvia viriosa, and (4). Garra magnidiscus,. new to science

Contribution to policy: The Centre has developed the following Action Plans and Policies:

a. Action Plans

1.	Integrated Agro-Horti-Silvicultural Cultivation Model for sustainable agriculture in NE India
2.	Arunachal Pradesh: Environmental Planning and Sustainable Development – Opportunities and Challenges (in collaboration with Dept of Planning, Govt. of Arunachal Pradesh)
3.	Perspectives for Planning and Development in North East India
4.	Biodiversity Conservation through Community Based Natural Resource Management: An Approach
5.	Wildlife Management and Biodiversity Conservation Plans for Development of Trans-Arunachal Highways in Arunachal Pradesh

b. Policies

1. Promotion of Homestays in Arunachal Pradesh (in collaboration with WWF-India & Dept. of Tourism, Govt. of Arunachal Pradesh)
2. Promotion and Management of Community Conserved Areas in Arunachal Pradesh
3. Arunachal Pradesh Ecotourism Policy (in collaboration with WWF-India & Govt. of Arunachal Pradesh)

Outreach to government

1.	The North East Regional Centre was commissioned in 1994 by the North East Council (NEC) for a rapid assessment on the potential for biodiversity conservation and integrated village development in West Khasi Hills, Meghalaya.
2.	The Regional Centre conducted experimental and observational studies on field ecology, assessment and mitigation of human-wildlife conflicts in and around Protected Areas of Arunachal Pradesh and prepared UNESCO-MAB nomination document for Tawang-West Kameng and Dehang Debang BRs for Govt. of Arunachal Pradesh.
3.	The Regional Centre entered an MOU with Meghalaya Rural Development Society (MRDS), an autonomous body of Govt. of Meghalaya to impart training on agricultural technologies to villagers of various districts of Meghalaya.
4.	The Regional Centre has been identified as Technology Support Institute by State Institute of Rural Development (SIRD), Dept. of Industry, and KVKs, Govt. of Arunachal Pradesh for imparting training on crop production enhancement and soil water conserving technologies.
5.	The "Integrated Agro-Horti-Silviculture Cultivation Model" developed by the Centre in collaboration with Dept of Environment & Forests, Govt. of Arunachal Pradesh is adopted by the Govt. of Arunachal Pradesh under CAMPA to address shifting agriculture and aslo promote the livelihood of the tribal communities.
6.	Some of the approaches of the Centre like Biodiversity Management Committees (BMCs) have been adopted by Government of Arunachal Pradesh for wider replication

Infrastructural Facilities Available

1	Library
2	Internet
3	Laboratories
4	Nurseries
5	Demonstration site for low cost technologies

Awards / Honours

	Member 'State Level Steering Committee (SLSC)' on Dehang Debang Biosphere Reserve (MS Lodhi) .
	Member of Editorial Board of the Arunachal Forest Bulletin (MS Lodhi) .
	Member "State Pollution Control Board", Govt. of Arunachal Pradesh (MS Lodhi) .
	Member "State Wetland Authority", Govt. of Arunachal Pradesh (MS Lodhi) .
	Member "Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC)" of the Institute upto 2020 (MS Lodhi) .
	Delivered an Expert Talk in NEC sponsored National Conference on 'Rural Tourism & North East India: The Way Ahead' held at NIRDPR, NERC, Guwahati on January 6-7, 2018 (MS Lodhi).
	Delivered 6 lectures on 'Basic Hydrology Concept' at State Institute of Rural Development (SIRD), Govt. of Arunachal Pradesh, Itanagar, during the training programmes for Block Technical Resource Team from different districts of Arunachal Pradesh. (MS Lodhi) .
	Editorial Advisory Board member of Environment Science of Cambridge Scholars Publishing, United Kingdom (KS Kanwal).
	Awarded Gratis membership for a second two-year term by Society of Wetland Scientists, USA (KS Kanwal).
	Associate Editor of International Journal of Environmental Sciences, CRDEEP International Journals, Dehradun, India (KS Kanwal).
	Member, Technical Support Group for Drafting the “Scheduled Tribes (Protection of Rights) Bill” constituted by Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Govt. of India on instruction from the Prime Minister’s Office (Dhrupad Choudhury)..
	Member, Technical Support Group (TSG) for operationalization of BMCs under NBA, Dept. of Environment & Forests, Govt. of Arunachal Pradesh (Prasanna K. Samal)..
	Member, Research Advisory Committee, State Forest Research Institute (SFRI), Dept. of Environment & Forests, Govt. of Arunachal Pradesh (Prasanna K. Samal)..
	Member, State Project Steering Committee, Arunachal Pradesh State Medicinal Plant Board, Dept. of Environment & Forests, Govt. of Arunachal Pradesh (Prasanna K. Samal)..
	Member, “Working Group” for Environment and Forests Sector (Preparation of State Action Plan on Climate Change), Dept. of Environment & Forests, Govt. of Arunachal Pradesh (Prasanna K. Samal)..
	Member, “Working Group” for Horticultural Sector (Preparation of State Action Plan on Climate Change), Dept. of Horticulture, Govt. of Arunachal Pradesh (Prasanna K. Samal)..
	Member, State Committee on Agri-Horti-Silvicultural activities under CAMPA, Dept. of Environment & Forests, Govt. of Arunachal Pradesh ( Prasanna K. Samal)..
	Member, Local Committee, Dihang Dibang Biosphere Reserve, Dept. of Environment & Forests, Govt. of Arunachal Pradesh, 2006 (Prasanna K. Samal)..
	Member, Scientific Advisory Committee, Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Papumpare (ICAR), Govt. of Arunachal Pradesh (Prasanna K. Samal)..
	Member, State Steering Committee for Climate Change, Dept. of Environment & Forests, Govt. of Arunachal Pradesh (L.M.S. Palni)..
	Member Secretary, State Level Steering Committee, GOI-UNDP-CCF-II Project (Biodiversity conservation through community based natural resource management in Arunachal Pradesh), Dept. of Environment & Forests, Govt. of Arunachal Pradesh (Prasanna K. Samal)..
	Member Secretary of the Sub-Group (B) on “Database, Technology Development and Extension” of the National Task Force on Rehabilitation of Jhum (Shifting Cultivation) Land, Ministry of Environment & Forests, Govt. of India (Prasanna K. Samal)..
	Member, State level Taskforce under National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) for Guiding Implementation of Training Activities under Arunachal Pradesh Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (APREGS), State Institute of Rural Development, Govt. of Arunachal Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh (Prasanna K. Samal)..
	Member, Board of Studies in Tribal Studies (Rajiv Gandhi University, Arunachal Pradesh (Prasanna K. Samal)..

The R&D projects/activities of the Centre have been widely acclaimed and appreciated. Some of the awards to the Centre include:

SCHOLL Research Challenge Award, 2010 for the paper “Technology backstopping: a key to agricultural and entrepreneurship development in North East-East India” for high calibre action research in development and governance on ‘Technology for Development’ that have potential for demonstrated impact on policy or society. Awarded by National Foundation for India and North East Development Foundation being sponsored by IDRC, Canada.

SCHOLL Research Challenge Award, 2010 for the paper “Biodiversity conservation through community based natural resource management in Arunachal Pradesh” for high calibre action research in development and governance on ‘Sustainable Development and Preservation of the Ecosystem’ that have potential for demonstrated impact on policy or society. Awarded by National Foundation for India and North East Development Foundation being sponsored by IDRC, Canada.

Er. Mahendra S. Lodhi
Scientist-E & SIC
North East Regional Centre
G. B. Pant National Institute of Himalayan Environment and Sustainable Development
Chandranagar (Near Neni Hyundai Service),
Itanagar - 791 113, Arunachal Pradesh, India
Ph: (0360) 2216423, Fax: (0360) 2211773, E-mail: neunit@gbpihed.nic.in, gbpihedne@yahoo.co.in
E-mail: mahen29.mail@gmail.com