About the Book

The book offers a comprehensive exploration of the deep-rooted relationship between the people and forests of Arunachal Pradesh. It traces the evolution and transformation of this vital human-nature interface across time, providing valuable insights into the region’s indigenous communities, forest ecosystems, and historical trajectory.

Drawing on rich ethnographic and historical evidence, it examines traditional beliefs, cultural practices, and sustainable resource-use systems of the indigenous communities. The volume further analyses the shifting governance frameworks over the region’s rich biodiversity—from indigenous customary laws and community-based management to colonial interventions and post-colonial policies.

In the contemporary context, the book critically addresses the accelerated degradation of natural resources in the post-independence period while evaluating various governmental and local conservation initiatives aimed at restoring ecological balance and promoting sustainability.

About Author

Dr. Srijani Bhattacharjee currently teaches History at Amity University Kolkata. She was a research fellow at the Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Institute of Asian Studies (MAKAIAS), Kolkata. Her research interests lie in the Environmental History of North East India, with a special focus on tribal studies, human-nature relationships, forest policies, governance, and sustainability issues in the region.

Contents

Foreword

Acknowledgement/ vii

1. Introduction/ 1

2. Arunachal Pradesh: People, Forest, and History/ 6

The People / 8; Forests / 22; Formation of Arunachal Pradesh: Historical Developments / 29

3. Indigenous Association with Nature: Forms of Knowledge and Agents of Nature Conservation/ 52

Local Knowledge based on Nature / 56; Types of Indigenous Forest Conservation / 67; Religious Beliefs Attached to Natural Objects and Occurrences / 76; Taboos as Instruments of Indigenous Nature Conservation / 84; Tribal Emotional Attachment towards Nature / 90; Expressions of Tribal Worldview on Nature through Folktales / 93

4. Governing Nature: Phases and Forms of Control/ 99

Indigenous Forest Management in Arunachal Pradesh: Role of the Tribal Councils / 99; British Forest Administration in North East Frontier Agency / 105; Forest Policy in Arunachal Pradesh after Indian Independence / 109; Forest Policies Implemented in Arunachal Pradesh / 130; The Arunachal Pradesh Soil and Water Conservation Act of 1991 / 132

5. Post-Colonial Developments: Nature Destruction and Conservation 137

Factors behind Destruction of Flora and Fauna / 138; Dam Construction and Hydel Projects in Arunachal Pradesh / 168; Supreme Court Restrictions on Use of Timber and Forest Products / 175; Changes in the Traditional Land Ownership Pattern / 177; Nature Conservation in Arunachal Pradesh / 185

6. Conclusion/ 198

Bibliograph/y 208

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