The North Eastern Region (NER), comprising the eight Indian states of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura, is endowed with bountiful water resources carried by its numerous rivers originating mainly from the Trans Himalayas, Middle Himalayas and the Sub-Himalayas on the north, Patkai-Purbachal hills on the north-east and east and Karbi-Jaintia-Meghalaya-Garo hills on the southern fringe. The Brahmaputra in the northern part and the Barak (Meghna) flowing through the southern margins along with their numerous tributaries are the two main river systems that have created a very dynamic and powerful hydrologic regime in the region. A third river, the Irrawaddy, flowing through Myanmar at the easternmost flanks of the region also drains a part of it mainly through some of its tributaries like the Chindwin. The Brahmaputra originates at the Tibetan plateau, passes through Arunachal Pradesh and Assam and merges with the Bay of Bengal in Bangladesh. The Barak has its origin at the Manipur-Nagaland border, passes through the southern part of Assam and outfalls in the Bay of Bengal after merging with the Brahmaputra by the name of the Meghna. The Irrawaddy has its source in Myanmar, passes entirely through Myanmar and empties in to the Bay of Bengal near Andaman and Nicobar islands. Thus all the three major rivers of the region and many of their tributaries are international in character with their courses lying in more than one country and their basins shared by several countries.
Individually the basins of the Brahmaputra, the Barak and the Irrawaddy occupy 68.42% (1, 74,528 km2), 16.36% (41,723 km2) and 7.27% (18,539 km2) of the region and together they account for 92.04% (234790 km2) of the region’s geographical area. But the Brahmaputra and the Barak, the catchments of which jointly claim 84.78% (216251 km2) of NER, remain the most dominant hydrological systems having the greatest impact on the environment and lives of the people. The surface water resources available in the region amounts 652.8 billion cubic meters that gives it the highest (34%) share in the country’s total surface water resources potential although the region represents only 8 percent of the total Indian landmass. The per capita and per hectare availability of water in this region is the highest in the country.
The valleys of the Brahmaputra and the Barak in Assam are the seats of numerous wetlands of different sizes and shape most of them originating from abandoned river courses and located close to the parent rivers. There are about 5,213 nos. of wetlands in Assam occupying nearly 10,123 sq. km area (13 percent of the total geographical area of the state) and distributed in 23 districts of Assam. Most of these wetlands are significantly rich in biotic resources and diversity and support the sustenance of many riparian communities. Two of them viz. the Deepor Beel (In Assamese Beel means a freshwater wetland) in the vicinity of Guwahati city and the Loktok in Manipur are wetlands of international importance designated as Ramsar Sites.
In situations of scarcity, decisions about access to and use of water involve actors at the intergovernmental, governmental, regional, community, and household levels and often become highly politicized. The needs and perspectives of large- and small-scale farmers, of small- and medium-sized enterprises, of households, and of fisher folk and others who earn their livelihood from water can differ significantly. At the same time, level of commitment of the different actors to conservation practices and to protection of water resources from contamination may also vary, and the question of whose interests prevail and receive top priority can create considerable tension.
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