SHILLONG: The Northeastern states are marred by inequitable distribution in terms of economic development which is a relative disadvantage. This was observed by Ranjan Chatterjee, Expert Member, National Green Tribunal, while delivering a lecture on Clean and Green India-North East perspectives at St Edmund’s College here on Monday.
Chatterjee said that North East has not gained proportionately from India’s high growth trajectory despite the country’s ranking as the 3rd largest economy behind America and China.
“The economic development did not percolate to the region,” he added.
He highlighted the problem of structural imbalance which results in low agricultural productivity and declining manufacturing sector even as he compared the NE states to the BIMARU states (Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh) where people are pushed to the field of agriculture leading to fragmented lands.
“The BIMARU states are doing much better in terms of manufacturing sector with complete disregard for the environment. The Yamuna River is completely black after the commercial and industrial effluents are disposed of at the river,” he said.
Chatterjee observed that even though the extent of pollution in NE is not as dangerous as in other parts of the country, development is not visible.
“Environment and economic development go hand in hand… sustainable development for better economic development is the need of the hour,” he felt.
Law and order situation drives away investors
Commenting on the poor law and order situation prevailing in the NE states, he said that the existing state of affairs drives away potential investors thus leading to no sustained growth of infrastructure in the region.
He underlined that the private sector can provide the much needed employment and stated that there is saturation in the Government in terms of jobs.
“From 2015-2021 even with skill development where 17 lakh people will be trained and skilled, only 2.6 lakhs will perhaps get employment in the NE and the rest will have to venture outside,” he said adding that there is anti-development attitude and identity crisis in the state.
“Some people oppose the arrival of Railways in the state merely on the basis of fear of outsiders,” he observed.
Regional integration with mainstream economy
a must
He pointed out that regional integration with mainstream economy is the gateway to growth.
Turning towards environment, he urged students to retain the forests in the state. Chatterjee presented a word of caution and stated, “Look at Sohra, it is a wet desert now and it is almost barren. There should be proper technology for growing trees there.”
As an expert member of the NGT, he spoke of the dangers of limestone mining in the hills even as he predicted that in the next 30-40 years the state “will become a plain land”.
He added that the ban on rat hole mining in Meghalaya was necessitated considering the unscientific and unregulated mining prevalent.
