Northeast faces rise in temperature

The northeastern region has been projected to face a rise in temperature of 1.8 to 2.1 degrees Celsius, DoNER Minister Jitendra Singh said on Wednesday.

He said this citing a 2010 report based on a study conducted by the Indian Network of Climate Change Assessment (INCCA) to assess the impact of climate change on four key sectors of Indian economy -- agriculture, water, natural ecosystems and biodiversity and health -- in four climate sensitive regions of India, namely the Himalayan region, the Western Ghats, the coastal area and the northeastern region.

"The report projects rise in temperature in the northeastern region (NER) in the range of 1.8 to 2.1 degrees celsius and increase in the mean annual rainfall in the order of 0.3 percent to 3 percent in 2030s, with respect to the 1970s," the minister for Development of the North Eastern Region said in a written reply in the Lok Sabha.

"Projected increase of night-time temperature may lead to decrease in the production of rice and may affect the nutritional health of the population," he said.

The minister said soil erosion due to increase in intensity of precipitation events might lead to an increase in occurrence of landslides, affecting agriculture activities, including tea plantations.

"The report also projects that the window of transmission of malaria may remain open for at least for seven to nine months in a year," he said.

According to Singh, climate change-related activities are addressed through various schemes of the Indian government by integrating these concerns into programme implementation.

"The government has formulated the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) in June 2008 to deal with the climate change-related issues. NAPCC comprises eight missions in specific areas of solar energy, enhanced energy efficiency, sustainable habitat, water, sustaining Himalayan ecosystems, green India, sustainable agriculture and strategic knowledge for climate change," he said.

"Thirty two states and union territories, including all states from the northeastern region, have prepared State Action Plan on Climate Change (SAPCC) consistent with objectives of NAPCC and incorporating state specific vulnerabilities, adaptation needs and other priorities."

Singh said the respective SAPCCs would be implemented by the states through state plans, central schemes and other sources of funding.

"A thematic scheme on Climate Change Action Programme (CCAP) with an outlay of Rs.290 crore was launched during the 12th Five Year Plan to address the issues related to climate change," he said.

"Coordinated studies on climate change in the northeastern region is one of the components under CCAP to undertake studies on impacts of climate change on forests biodiversity, water, agriculture and human settlement with a view to develop adaptation and mitigation benefits in the region," the minister added.