1 Development of Barak Valley: the Question of Sustainability 1 Abhik Gupta Dept. of Ecology & Environmental Science Assam University Silchar Email: abhik.eco@gmail.com Introduction The word “development” can have several meanings. A widely perceived connotation of development in the context of a district, a state, a country or any other political or geographical unit relates to the nature and extent of exploitation of its resources. It could also mean infrastructural development in terms of road, rail, surface water or air connectivity, or that of various industries, irrigation networks, telecommunication, information technology, and so on. These in turn have bearing on and are also dependent upon the quantum of exploitation of natural (or even human) resources in that area. The ecological concept of development adds another dimension to this definition. It takes into account the growth and maturation of an ecosystem or a landscape over time, which, however, is deeply influenced by the pattern and magnitude of anthropogenic activities in that area. This essentially makes development a historical process spanning past, present and future generations, and brings into play the question of sustainability, which assumes greater significance each day as ongoing exploitation renders the resources increasingly scarce and economically as well as ecologically unviable to be extracted and utilized. The term „sustainable development‟ came into limelight after the publication of the report of the World Commission on Environment and Development, more popularly known as the „Bruntland Commission‟ after the name of its Chair, Gro Harlem Bruntland, in 1987. The Commission‟s definition of sustainable development as “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs” has since become the most oft-quoted definition of sustainable development. This definition also recognizes development as a historical process. Therefore, in our effort to chart a roadmap of development for the Barak Valley, it may be worthwhile to make an appraisal of both the constraints and prospects in a historical as well as a geographical perspective as the latter provides the setting for the former. Resources of Barak Valley: a Brief Historical-Geographical Perspective Barak Valley, located in the southern part of the North East Indian state of Assam, includes the three districts of Cachar, Karimganj and Hailakandi. The valley derives its name from River Barak, which is its main drainage. The Barak flows in an east-west direction through the valley. Its major tributaries include the Jiri, the Chiri, the Madhura and the Jatinga on the north bank, and the Sonai, the Katakhal, and the Dhaleswari on the south, flowing in a north-south and south-north orientation, respectively. The Barak splits 1 In: Bhattacharjee, J.B. (Ed.) – Development Strategies for Barak Valley (Assam), pp. 202-218. Akansha Publishing House, New Delhi, 2009.