Rongmongve (Assam), Jul 2 (PTI): Traditional 'jhum' cultivation, coupled with extensive cotton farming practices in the past, has led to significant topsoil erosion and ecological degradation within the Kohora River Basin (KRB) ecosystem, according to experts. Spanning from the northern Karbi Hills to the southern fringes of Kaziranga National Park, this region is a lifeline for thousands residing in nearby hills and floodplains, also renowned for housing the largest population of one-horned rhinos globally. Environmental scientist Firoz Ahmed highlighted the ongoing efforts to rejuvenate the crucial river system.
"The Kohora River is central to the Karbi indigenous community's way of life," Ahmed remarked. Known for their symbiotic relationship with nature, the Karbi people rely heavily on the river for daily necessities, including potable water and agriculture. Consequently, monitoring its health becomes imperative, with a priority placed on tracking water quality and quantity throughout its various sections, led by the environmental biodiversity group Aaranyak.
A weather station was established to analyze KRB's micro-climate, revealing increased average temperatures and decreased rainfall from 2019 to 2024. "The monitoring paints a worrying picture, with noticeable declines in water levels due to reduced rainfall and upper canopy degradation," noted Ahmed. Adding to this, burgeoning household activities and tourism have further compromised the river's water quality, especially in its physicochemical attributes.
The damaging ecological footprint of 'jhum' slash-and-burn cultivation with suboptimal cycles of fewer than 10 years, followed by the invasion of bamboo and extensive past cotton farming (circa 1975-85), remains apparent. As forests are cleared repeatedly, bamboo and other invasive flora supplant ecologically vital species, exacerbating topsoil erosion, decreasing floral diversity, and impacting soil and water health across the region.
"The absence of forest cover and topsoil greatly diminishes the water retention capacity of the upland areas," reported a forest department official. Data from the 1970s through the 2020s highlight alarming river depth loss, alongside a 90% reduction in water volume. Kaziranga National Park Director Sonali Ghosh emphasized the essential role every water body plays in the region's ecology and the habituation of its animals.
Aaranyak has envisioned a restoration project by fusing indigenous knowledge with scientific methods to design robust, context-tailored conservation plans. Engaging 21 'jhumia' families, the initiative sees restoration activities across 30 hectares of fallow land, planting approximately 2,500 saplings of 13 native tree species. Additionally, the forest floor has seen the introduction of fragrant shield plant rhizomes.
"Initially, locals resisted the fallow land restoration, fearing disruption of natural processes," recounted village head Bapuram Ingti. "However, participation has grown, driven by a shared recognition of the river's critical role within the Karbi community's cultural and environmental fabric," he concluded.
(Only the headline of this report may have been reworked by Editorji; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)