ITANAGAR, May 26: In a vital step on the way to reinforce water security and climate resilience in the Indian Himalayan Region, the Central Ground Water Board, North Eastern Region (CGWB-NER) and Govind Ballabh Pant National Institute of Himalayan Environment, North-East Regional Centre (GBPNIHE-NERC) have inked a Letter of Agreement (LoA) to undertake a collaborative scientific study on ‘Mapping, Assessment, and Rejuvenation of Vulnerable Springs in Arunachal Pradesh’.
The LoA was formally signed by Tapan Chakraborty (Regional Director) on behalf of CGWB-NER and Paromita Ghosh (Head & Scientist-F) on behalf of GBPNIHE-NERC, amid the presence of scientists, hydrogeologists, and technical experts from both institutions.
The collaboration aims to create a scientific framework for spring conservation and rejuvenation in ecologically fragile Himalayan landscapes, where springs serve as a lifeline for rural communities.
Speaking on the occasion, Chakraborty described the partnership as an important milestone in strengthening scientific groundwater management in the North Eastern Himalayan region. He emphasized the urgent need for integrated hydrogeological investigations and long-term monitoring to ensure sustainable water availability amid changing climatic conditions.
Ghosh highlighted that the collaboration would promote interdisciplinary research. She noted that scientific spring rejuvenation, combined with ecosystem-based management approaches, is essential for enhancing climate resilience and livelihood security in Arunachal Pradesh.
A key role in conceptualizing and facilitating the collaboration was played by Tridipa Biswas (Scientist-C, GBPNIHE-NERC), who helped develop the institutional framework for the partnership.
Biswas stated that the study would combine advanced geospatial technologies, hydrogeological assessments, and traditional ecological knowledge to design sustainable and replicable spring rejuvenation models for the Indian Himalayan Region. She further stressed that community participation would remain central to the study to ensure long-term conservation outcomes and local ownership of water resources and policy interventions in mountain regions.
Rajat Gupta (Hydrogeologist, CGWB) actively contributed to the coordination and implementation framework associated with the initiative. Gupta noted that the study would generate baseline scientific data and decision-support tools that could guide future spring management programmes.
Officials from both institutions observed that spring-fed systems are increasingly threatened by climate variability, deforestation, land-use changes, and anthropogenic pressures. Experts believe the findings could serve as a model for integrated spring conservation efforts across the Northeastern Himalayan states.