Environmental Acts and Policies in Nagaland: Issues and Challenges

The economic growth and environment has a strong link. Environment provides resources to economy and also acts as a carbon sink. Economic growth is a necessity to uplift the socioeconomic condition of people. The more we accelerate economic development, the higher is the risk of environment degradation. To balance development and degradation, the concept of sustainable development has taken the central stage in every development policy. Nagaland is predominately inhabited by tribal whose unique traditional law governs over the landholding system. Majority of the population inhabited rural area and their livelihood depends on their immediate environment. The quality and quantity of environment viz., air, water, land, forest, wildlife etc in the State is fast changing due to human interference. The issues of environmental degradation are gradually finding its place in policy making process. To manage and mitigate unscientific exploitation of environment, the Government has implemented both Central and State environment related Acts and policies in the State. The efforts seem to be unproductive due to low level of awareness, ignorance, land ownership and livelihood issue. This article tries to highlight the status of environment and issues and challenge in implementing environmental related Acts and Policies in the State.