Manipur Jhum and Eco Degradation

Manipur, the land of jewels on the eastern ramparts of India, is a land of unique flora and fauna, rich cultures and traditions. At the fringe of Manipur valley, there is wilderness forest of the Indo-Myanmarese mountain arc which is populated by different tribes who have superb culture and different lifestyle. There is a common thing about the tribes of Manipur, i.e.jhum. Jhum is a system of cultivation at the hillslopes which is highly embedded in the lifestyle of all tribes.

The book presents a detailed geographical account of Manipur and nature of agriculture of Manipur.For indepth study, Ukhrul district of Manipur has been selected to assess the past and present position of jhum, socio-economic condions of jhumias and impact of jhum on forest, soil, flora, fauna and hydrological cycle etc.

This book will immensely be helpful for agricultural scientists, regional planners, young researchers and of course students in the concerned field.

Dr. Md. Bahar-Ud-Din Shah, born in 1975, is a young researcher in the Department of Geography, Aligarh Muslim University Aligarh. He obtained his M.A. degree from A.M.U. in 1998 and Ph.D. degree from the same university in 2003 on the topic "Impact of Jhum Cultivation on the Ecosystem of Manipur: A Case Study of Ukhrul District". He specializes in Rural Geography and Regional Planning and Development. His major research papers include: Jhuming Cultivation: A Deep Rooted Environmental Concern; Jhuming Cultiyation: Root Cause of Landuse/Land Cover Changes in Ukhrul District, Manipur; Jhuming Cultivation A Threat to Bio-Diversity of Northeast India: A Case Study; Sustainability of the Jhumias in Northeast India: A Case Study; Loss of Forest Cover and Land Degradation in India's Northeast: A Case Study and Perception of Sustainability in Jhum: Farm-based Case Study. Dr. Bahar-Ud Din has attended various national and international conferences.

**Contents and Sample Pages**