Petrography and tectonic provenance of the Miocene Surma Group in parts of the Naga-Manipur hills, in and around Nungba,Northeast India

The Miocene molassic Surma sandstones in parts of the Naga-Manipur hills,in and around Nungba,Northeast India have been studied for their tectonic provenance using petrography and heavy mineral contents.The poorly-to-moderately-sorted sub-litharenite to lithicarkose type Surma sandstones display predominance of monocrystalline quartz(av.61%)and include undulose and non-undulose varieties and almost equal amounts of feldspars(av.22%)and rock fragments(av.17%).The heavy mineral suite of Surma sandstones is dominated by transparent varieties(96%)that include garnet,zircon,tourmaline,rutile,staurolite,scapolite,phlogopite,chondrodite,humite,wollastonite,hedenbergite,sphene,chlorite,sillimanite,glauconite,glaucophane,and chloritoid.These heavy minerals characterize the granitic and silicic metamorphic complexes(GM)as well as the basic metamorphic rocks(MT)like greenstones,green schist,and amphibolites relating to passive continental margin setup.The opaque grains constitute nearly 4%of the total heavy minerals.The presence of euhedral,as well as abraded heavy mineral grains,further supports a mixed provenance having substantial contribution from sedimentary and metamorphic rocks.A ZTR index of approximately 45%indicates mineralogically sub-mature nature of Surma sandstones.Based on the light and heavy mineral suites coupled with the type of terrain available in the vicinity of the study area,it may be visualized that the sediment supply was largely made by the Himalaya,the IMR,the Shillong plateau,and the Mikir Hills under the influence of semi-arid to semi-humid climatic conditions.An overall supply from a recycled orogen provenance has been envisaged.

Ethno-medicinal plants used by Bengali communities in Tripura, northeast India

Northeastern India has high medicinal plant diversity due to variance in topography and physiognomy. We documented the uses of various medicinal plants by the Bengali people of West district and South district of Tripura state for their own health care as well as for domesti-cated animals. Based on semi structured interviews, group discussions and information from local informants, a total of 93 species of medicinal plants of 52 families and 83 genera were documented. These plants were used to treat more than 55 different human diseases and 6 diseases of livestock. Sixty-eight plant species were used singly and the rest were used in combination with other species for therapeutic formulations of various diseases. Leaves of plants were most often used for most of the ethnobotanical preparations. Maximum consensus value of 96% was recorded for Chromolaena odorata （L.） King ＆amp;H. Rob., and the mini-mum was 15%for Bambusa balcooa Robx. Of the 93 plant species, 75 species showed pharmacological properties. Prospects for augmenting existing knowledge and enhancing the use of traditional medicinal plants are discussed.

A Retrospective Study on the Prevalence of HIV among Patients Attending a Tertiary Care Hospital of Northeast India

Objective: The main objective of this study is to evaluate the prevalence of HIV infection among the clients attending ICTC, Gauhati Medical College & Hospital, Guwahati, for a period of seven years, i.e., from April 2008 to March 2015. Material & Method: A total of 40,983 clients attended ICTC, Gauhati Medical College & Hospital from the year 2008 to 2015. Serum samples were collected after taking informed consent and pre-test counseling. In India for all ICTCs, NACO (National AIDS Control Organization), a national guidelines has been followed for HIV testing, reporting and release of results with post test counseling. Results: Of the total 40,983 clients tested for HIV infection, 1919 (4.68%) were found to be HIV seropositive. Seropositivity was higher in male clients i.e. 1314 (68.47%) than female i.e. 604 (31.47%) followed by transgender (TG), i.e., 1 (0.0005%). Heterosexual route of transmission was the major route seen in 1666 clients (86.81%). Maximum HIV seropositivity was in the age group of 45 - 49 years (43.62%). Conclusion: HIV prevalence of 4.68 % among the clients attending ICTC, Gauhati Medical College & Hospital, Guwahati, puts the spotlight on the HIV burden in this part of the country and suggests the need for the scaling up of focused prevention efforts in high-risk groups.

Traditional Ecological Knowledge and Community-based Natural Resource Management in Northeast India

Community-based natural resource management in northeast India has a long history. Indigenous knowledge and adaptation are the collective information, with improvement from generation to generation. The expectation is that under community control, local expertise on biodiversity will play a significant role in natural resource management through traditional practices. This paper discusses the characteristics and application of the traditional ecological knowledge of aboriginal peoples in northeast India and its role in natural resource management. Examples are provided in two different eco-cultural landscapes, i.e., Demazong (the Buddhist eco-cultural landscape in Sikkim Himalaya) and the Apatani eco-cultural landscape in Arunachal Pradesh, which illustrate the utility value of traditional ecological knowledge in sustainable natural resource management. Both eco-cultural landscapes are indeed very complex and highly evolved systems with high levels of economic and ecological efficiencies. The paper concludes that traditional ecological knowledge systems and institutions could serve as entry points into the sustainable utilization and management of natural resources. This could be achieved through the exploration of the cultural practices of the local people and integrating useful aspects into the modern natural resource management expertise. With rapidly depleting biodiversity in the developing tropic regions, there is a greater utilization today than ever before of the value of respecting the "Sacred" as a tool towards better conservation of natural resources.

Assessment of Growth, Carbon Stock and Sequestration Potential of Oil Palm Plantations in Mizoram, Northeast India

A study was conducted to assess growth, carbon stock and sequestration potential of oil palm plantations along a chronosequence in Mizoram, Northeast India for which a total of 148 oil palms drawn from different age group plantations (1 to 11 years) were sampled for their biometric parameters and assessment of carbon stock through partial non-destructive methods. All the growth parameters of oil palm (trunk height, crown depth, total height, trunk diameter) and biomass drew from different parts of the palm showed a significant (p belowground biomass (BGB) > standing litter biomass > deadwood biomass > understorey biomass. AGB, BGB and deadwood biomass followed an increasing trend while understorey biomass decreased with age. An 11-year oil palm plantation accumulated 111.96 Mg ha-1 biomass with a carbon density of 49.90 Mg C ha-1 and could sequester 3.70 Mg C ha-1 year-1 in 10 years after planting in Mizoram, Northeast India. The findings showed considerable carbon storage with comparative higher values in oil palm plantations than shifting cultivation fallows. This will enable policy and decision makers in framing climate change mitigation and adaptation policies regarding the extension of oil palm plantations in Mizoram.

Mitochondrial DNA evidence supports northeast Indian origin of the aboriginal Andamanese in the Late Paleolithic

In view of the geographically closest location to Andaman archipelago, Myanmar was suggested to be the origin place of aboriginal Andamanese. However, for lacking any genetic information from this region, which has prevented to resolve the dispute on whether the aboriginal Andamanese were originated from mainland India or Myanmar. To solve this question and better understand the origin of the aboriginal Andamanese, we screened for haplogroups M31 （from which Andaman-specific lineage M31al branched off） and M32 among 846 mitochondrial DNAs （mtDNAs） sampled across Myanmar. As a result, two Myanmar individuals belonging to haplogroup M31 were identified, and completely sequencing the entire mtDNA genomes of both samples testified that the two M31 individuals observed in Myanmar were probably attributed to the recent gene flow from northeast India populations. Since no root lineages of haplogroup M31 or M32 were observed in Myanmar, it is unlikely that Myanmar may serve as the source place of the aboriginal Andamanese. To get further insight into the origin of this unique population, the detailed phylogenetic and phylogeographic analyses were performed by including additional 7 new entire mtDNA genomes and 113 M31 mtDNAs pinpointed from South Asian populations, and the results suggested that Andaman-specific M31al could in fact trace its origin to northeast India. Time estimation results further indicated that the Andaman archipelago was likely settled by modem humans from northeast India via the land-bridge which connected the Andaman archipelago and Myanmar around the Last Glacial Maximum （LGM）, a scenario in well agreement with the evidence from linguistic and palaeoclimate studies.

Divine or Cursed:Understanding the Conflict Syndrome in Royal Myths of Pre-modern Northeast India

The transition from pre-state to state societies involves some ideological facets.In pre-modern states of India,especially from the post-Gupta period onwards,the ruling authorities tried to legitimize their position by claiming ancestry/lineage from Brahmanical deities.The ruling dynasties patronized Brahmanism,and in return,the Brahmanas created myths of divine genealogy,which elevated the status of the former.The pre-modern states of northeast India were not an exception to it.The rulers of northeast India established Brahmanas and claimed divine genealogy with the help of myths created by the latter.Although they patronized Brahmanism,the ruling dynasties never entirely abandoned their tribal traditions from which they originated because most of their subjects remained outside the Brahmanical faith.Thus,the ruling authorities played the role of mediator between the two different traditions,which is reflected in the contradictory nature of the royal myths created through the agency of the Brahmanas.Focusing on the early kingdoms of Pragjyotisa-Kamarupa,the Ahoms,and the Koches of the medieval period,the paper attempts to explore the conflict syndrome in their royal myths and the polity formations of these pre-modern kingdoms.It helps us understand the particularity of political processes in peripheral regions like northeast India.

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma in the Northeastern states of India

Nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC) is a rare disease in most parts of the world, except for Southeast Asia, some parts of North Africa and the Arctic. It is mostly seen in people of Chinese origin. In India, NPC is also rare, except for the Hill States of Northeast India, particularly Nagaland, Manipur, and Mizoram. The striking feature of NPC in Northeast India is that the incidence ranges over the complete spectrum from the lowest (as 0.5/100 000 to 2.0/100 000 among Caucasoid) to the highest (as ~20/100 000 among Cantonese/Zhongshan dialect Chinese). The age-adjusted rate of NPC in Kohima district of Nagaland State is 19.4/100 000, which is among the highest recorded rates. By contrast, in Assam, one of the so-called Hill States but not itself a hilly state, NPC is much less common. The Northeastern region is distinguished by a preponderance of the Tibeto-Burman languages and by variable mongoloid features among peoples of the region. The nature of the migratory populations who are presumed to be bearers of the mongoloid risk is unknown, but these NPC occurrence features provide an outstanding opportunity for NPC risk investigation, such as that of the hypothesis of Wee et al. for westward displacement of Chinese aborigines following the last glacial maximum.

Harnessing REDD+ opportunities for forest conservation and carbon stock enhancement in the Northeastern States of India

Forests have significant economic and ecological value as a provider of ecosystem services, being home to much of the world’s biodiversity and supporting the livelihoods of many people. Reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries (REDD) is a critical component of the overall greenhouse gas emission reductions and now the significance of REDD+ (which is not only about reducing emissions but halting and reversing forest loss), in delivering climate change mitigation benefits along with co-benefits, is increasingly being recognized in global climate negotiations. Northeast India provides a tremendous potential for harnessing REDD+ activities with about 66% of the total geographical area of the region being covered by forests. This paper attempts to explore this potential besides estimating the area available for different options under REDD+ as well as the mitigation potential using COMAP model, overcoming limitations of existing studies or a lack of them. Within this, the status of forests and biodiversity along with drivers of deforestation in north east India are documented and an assessment of the potential for taking up reducing deforestation and degradation and enhancement of carbon stocks and afforestation is conducted both at the state as well as district level. It was found that northeastern states have been experiencing net forest loss during the last few years along with significant scale forest degradation, with Nagaland followed by Arunachal Pradesh offering maximum potential for “reducing deforestation” option under REDD and the total incremental annual mitigation potential of the four REDD+ activities in northeast India being 29.2 MtCO2 for 2030.

Micropalaeontological and Geochemical Evidence of the Late Jurassic Radiolarians Cherts of Naga Ophiolite Hill, Nagaland, Northeast-India

We analyzed the radiolarian assemblages (pelagic sediments) and geochemical studies of 15 samples collected from Meluri district Nagaland, Naga Hills Ophiolite belt (NHO) and it consists of the Flysch Naga-Arakan-Yoma trough beyond the Indo-Myanmar border. It reflects one of the many components of the Himalayan Orogenic systems of Tethyan oceanic crust discovered in Nagaland at Meluri district of India and they have very well-preserved studies and can be identified to Upper Jurassic (Kimmeridgian-mid-Tithonian). As well as a continuous sequence of Kimmeridgian-mid-Tithonian, five radiolarian assemblages have been identified in this study. This is so far the first recovery of pelagic sediment assemblages (Radiolarians) from the Naga Hills Ophiolite complex. Samples of Naga Hills Ophiolite belts fell in the Sublitharenite, Litharenite, and Fe-shale Fe-sand area, and the A-CN-K diagram indicates that these sediments in the source region were exposed deep to moderate weathering conditions. In the discriminant plot, the Naga Hill-Ophiolite-Chert samples occupy the field of origin of the sediment quartzose, and the log (K2O/Na2O) versus SiO2 samples fall into the active continental marginal field, and only one sample falls into an island arch, suggesting that the tectonic framework of the Naga Hills-Chert samples was deposited in the active continental margin and the diagrams K2O/Al2O3 and MgO/Al2O3 illustrated the tectonic setting of the marine environment from Naga Hill Ophiolite Chert. Such findings have been consistent with the current geology of Naga Hills in the province of Nagaland.

Whole-rock geochemistry of Tertiary sediments of Mizoram Foreland Basin, NE India: implications for source composition,tectonic setting and sedimentary processes

Sandstones belonging to the Oligocene Barail Group and Miocene Surma Group of the Mizoram Foreland Basin have been studied geochemically to constrain their provenances,tectonic setting,and other sedimentary processes(weathering and mineral sorting etc.).Based on their mineralogical compositions,these sandstones are classified as quartzarenite and sublithic-arenite.The sandstones of Barail and Surma Groups have similar contents of most of the major elements except for SiO2 and A12O3.The Barail sandstones are relatively more siliceous and less aluminous compared to the Surma sandstones.Barail and Surma sandstones were plotted in a singular array on different geochemical discrimination diagrams.The CIA and CIW values of the sandstones of Barail(69 and 77 respectively)and Surma Groups(68 and 77 respectively)suggest that the sandstones were derived from moderately weathered source rocks.In the A-CN-K diagram,the studied samples plotted along a roughly singular trend that originates from granodiorite as well as Trans-Himalayan granitoids and also confined within the field of Siwalik sediments.Chondrite・normalized REE patterns for the Surma and Barail sandstones are identical and are similar to upper continental crust,with moderate to high LREE enrichment and prominent negative Eu anomalies(*Eu/Eu for both Barail and Surma sandstone=0.69),indicating their derivation from a felsic magmatic source.The values of,*Eu/Eu(LaN/LuN),La/Sc,La/Co,Th/Sc,Th/Co,and Cr/Th ratios of Surma and Barail sandstones are also not significantly different,and the values are similar to finefractions derived from the weathering of felsic rocks.In the K2O/Na2O versus SiO2,Th-Sc-Zr/10 and Ti/Zr versus La/Sc tectonic discrimination diagrams the studied samples of Barail and Surma sandstones plot within the fields of greywacke from continental island arcs and active continental margin.The geochemical characteristics of the studied sedimentary rocks and their similarity with the Siwalik foreland sediments thus suggest were sourced from different felsic magmatic lithounits of Himalaya and were deposited in an active continental margin.

Geochemical characteristics of mafic and ultramafic rocks from the Naga Hills Ophiolite, India:Implications for petrogenesis

The Naga Hills Ophiolite(NHO) represents one of the fragments of Tethyan oceanic crust in the Himalayan Orogenic system which is exposed in the Phek and Kiphire districts of Nagaland, India. The NHO is composed of partially serpentinized dunite, peridotite, gabbro, basalt, minor plagiogranite,diorite dyke and marine sediments. The basalts are mainly composed of fine grained plagioclase feldspar, clinopyroxene and orthopyroxene and show quenching and variolitic textures. The gabbros are characterized by medium to coarse grained plagioclase, orthopyroxene and clinopyroxene with ophitic to sub-ophitic textures. The ultramafic cumulates are represented by olivine, Cpx and Opx.Geochemically, the basalts and gabbros are sub-alkaline to alkaline and show tholeiitic features.The basalts are characterized by 44.1-45.6 wt.% of SiO_2 with 28-38 of Mg#, and the gabbros by38.7-43.7 wt.% of SiO_2, and 26-79 of Mg#. The ultramafic rocks are characterized by 37.4-52.2 wt.% of SiO_2, and 80-88 of Mg#. In multi-element diagrams(spidergrams) both basalts and gabbros show fractionated trends with strong negative anomalies of Zr. Nb. Sr and a gentle negative anomaly of P.However, the rare earth element(REE) plots of the basalts and gabbros show two distinct patterns. The first pattern, represented by light REE(LREE) depletion, suggests N-MORB features and can be interpreted as a signature of Paleo-Tethyan oceanic crust. The second pattern, represented by LREE enrichment with negligible negative Eu anomaly, conforms to E-MORB, and may be related to an arc tectonic setting. In V vs. Ti/1000, Cr vs. Y and AFM diagrams, the basalts and gabbros plot within Island Arc Tholeiite(IAT) and MORB fields suggesting both ridge and arc related settings. The ultramafic rocks exhibit two distinct patterns both in spidergrams and in REE plots. In the spidergram, one group displays highly enriched pattern, whereas the other group shows near flat pattern compared to primordial mantle. In the REE plot, one group displays steeper slopes [(La/Yb)N = 4.340-4.341], whereas the other displays moderate to flat slopes [(La/Yb)N = 0.97-1.67] and negative Eu-anomalies. Our study suggests that the ultramafic rocks represent two possible mantle sources(fertile and refractory).

Surveillance of Chikungunya virus activity in some North-eastern states of India

Objective: To detect the prevalence pattern of Chikungunya virus in three states of Northeast India. Methods: A total of 1 510 samples were collected from different private and government hospitals of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya. Serum was tested for the presence of IgM antibodies against Chikungunya virus followed by RT-PCR for amplification of Chikungunya E1 gene region using specific primers. Results: Overall, 11.83%(172/1 454) clinical samples were positive by MAC-ELISA and/or RT-PCR assay. Asymptomatic infection was seen in 17.86%. Males were more affected than females and age group 16-30 years was mostly affected. Fever(100.00%) was the primary symptom followed by headache(72.03%) and arthralgia(41.53%). Only 118 Chikungunya positive cases could be traced, of which 25.42% complained about sequelae of infection. In entomological investigation, Aedes aegypti was more predominant(92.10%) than Aedes albopictus(7.90%). No mosquito pools could be incriminated for Chikungunya virus. Conclusions: In this study, Chikungunya was observed to be prevalent in Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya. Though Chikungunya is a selflimiting infection, increasing morbidity by CHIKV infection is affecting social and economic status of individual. Thus, a community empowerment to effectively control mosquito population by employing different mosquito control measures along with personal protection is mandatory to tackle future outbreak of the disease.

Phytosociology of stratification in a lowland tropical rainforest occurring north of the Tropic of Cancer in Meghalaya, India

Stratification in lowland rainforests of Meghalaya,India,which represent the westernmost limit of the rainforests north of the Tropic of Cancer,was studied in horizontal and vertical planes to elucidate the patterns in stacking of species diversity and community attributes,and to draw comparisons with rainforests of‘Indo-Malaya’ecozone(biogeographical realm).All individuals≥10 cm GBH(girth at breast height)were enumerated in six transects of 10 m width and up to 500 m length covering 2.45 ha area.The stratification of whole assemblage of species in vertical plane is referred to as‘storey structure’(=height class distribution),which explains structural complexity.In horizontal plane,it is typically referred to as‘stand structure’(=girth class distribution),which explains structural heterogeneity.The stratification of an individual species in vertical plane is referred to as‘loftiness’and in horizontal plane,it is frequently referred to as‘population structure’.The stand structure was characterized by a negative exponential relationship or a reverse J-shaped curve,which is typical of a well regenerating forest stand.The storey structure was characterized by the low stature of the rainforest(<30 m),subtle layering in the canopy with dearth of discrete multi-stories,narrower widths of the stories and a thick understory.The cluster analysis and‘candlestick charts’showed that the dominant species spatially segregated in canopy height to profile three strata,viz.,an understory of juveniles and shrubs below 5 m,a middle-storey of intermediate trees between 5 and 15 m,and an overstory of large trees between 15 and 25 m.Emergent trees of a few species may reach up to 30 m.The individuals tended to scatter in increasingly wider range of height classes from a lower to the next higher girth class,creating a‘torchlight scatter’pattern,with a tendency to concentrate towards smaller height classes due to stochastic factors,which potentially influence vertical growth proportionate to diametric growth.In comparison to equatorial rainforests of Malaysia and seasonal rainforests of southwestern China,the rainforests of Meghalaya are short-statured at the geographic extremity of the occurrence of rainforest biome in Asiae Pacific region,owing to floristic composition,site quality factors,excessively higher quantities of rainfall and high differential of precipitation and potential evapotranspiration.Despite limited diversity of megaphanerophytes,these rainforests deserve concerted conservation efforts as they stack high diversity of meso-,micro-and nano-phanerophytes.

“分而治之”政策与英国对印度东北地区的殖民统治

殖民统治时期,英国人在印度东北地区实行"分而治之"政策。通过征服阿洪姆王国,英国人在阿萨姆建立了直接统治,为维护殖民统治利益多次调整阿萨姆的行政建制。在经济上则在疯狂榨取土地税的同时,加大了对阿萨姆茶叶种植园经济的开发力度。对阿洪姆王国以外的其他小王国,英国人则视情况采取不同的统治方式:严密控制卡恰里王国和贾因提亚王国,同时间接控制曼尼普尔王国和特里普拉王国的政权。对于印度东北地区的诸山区部落,英国人则采取不同于平原地区的统治方式,通过征服与控制、进行武力威慑以及实施隔离政策,试图在最大限度上维护大英帝国在印度东北地区的广大山区和部落社会中的殖民利益。总的来看,英国人的殖民统治对印度东北地区产生了一系列的深远影响,这些都为印度独立之后东北地区民族问题的长期存在埋下了深刻的历史伏笔。

印度东北部地区与孟中印缅经济走廊

印度东北部地区是孟中印缅经济走廊覆盖的核心区域之一,也是经济走廊建设向印度方向推进无法绕开的一个重要地理单元。印度东北部地区的区位特征十分鲜明,且同时涉及印度与孟加拉国、中国、缅甸三国关系中的敏感问题,因而该地区也成为能否实现贯通孟中印缅毗邻地区的一大现实难题。从开放程度来说,印度东北部地区仍然较为封闭,与外界的联系薄弱,尤其是与周边毗邻地区的互联互通十分滞后。但就开放意愿而言,印度东北部地区的民众却对孟中印缅经济走廊持肯定和支持态度,对该地区参与经济走廊建设也有着较大的期待。

浅析印度东北部地区发展的挑战与机遇

虽然印度东北部有着良好的区位优势和资源优势,但是民族矛盾、基础设施落后等多重因素却阻碍了东北部的发展进程,使其成为经济欠发达区域。全球化进程的扩展和印度国内经济增长的加速,对印度东北部的发展提出了新的要求。为适应形势的需要,东北部需要积极审视自身面临的内外机遇,使其成为东北部对外促合作、对内拓发展的重要推动力量。

印度东北地区的战略转变及推进中国云南与印度东北地区合作的建议

印度东北地区是印度经济欠发达的贫困地区,也是与印度内地联系薄弱的边疆地区,在20世纪90年代印度提出"东向政策"以后,印度政府对这一地区的发展战略逐步走向开放。但由于该地区的特定历史、地缘政治、民族文化等因素,印度对发展该地区存在诸多疑虑,如何增进互信、开展沟通与合作是云南省与印度东北部开展合作的重要议题。

印度东北地区的发展情况及其参与中印经贸合作的思考

本文简要介绍了印度东北部地区基本情况,以及印度政府促进该地区经济发展的政策措施,分析了近期该地区经济发展的情况、存在的主要问题及经济发展缓慢的原因,阐述了作者从研究中得到的关于中印经贸合作的启示。文章认为印度东北部地区经济水平低,经济结构不合理,不应是中国与印度开展经贸合作的首选地区。