Urbanisation Is Still At A Nascent Stage In The Eastern Himalayan Region Of Bhutan, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim And The Hills Of Darjeeling In West Bengal. In The Indian Portion Of The Eastern Himalayas The History Of The Growth Of Towns Does Not Go Back Beyond The Late 19Th Century-While Urban Centres Emerged In Bhutan Only In 1960S. Most Of The Hill Urban Cetnres That Have Subsequently Emerged Are Small-With Population Even Less Than A 1000 In Some Cases. The Problem Of Urban Development Is A Complicated Process In The Himalayas As The Entire Human Habitation Is Largely Controlled By The Natural Environment. The Unstable Nature Of Terrain, Heavy Rain, Soil Erosion And Mass Wasting Create Many Problems In The Physical Distribution Of The Towns And Sometimes Further Complicates The Situation In The Long Run. Problems Are Accentuated By The Uneven Distribution, Unbalanced Growth And Disparity In The Size Of These Small Towns. The Number Of Studies Relating To Urbanization In The Eastern Himalayas Is Negligible. The Book Includes Articles By Scholars From Different Disciplines Like Anthropology, Sociology, Geography, History, Political Science, Economics And Fills Up The Gap In This Area.

Study on towns in Northeastern India; revision of papers presented at a workshop in 1990.

The Eastern Himalaya region covers a geographical area that spans five nations and has diverse landscapes, a multitude of ethnic groups and a rich variety of flora and fauna. The region is relatively poor in terms of GDP and per capita income; industrialisation and infrastructure is under-developed; climate-induced disasters are frequent; and maternal and infant mortality rates are high. Economic constraints combined with restrictive cultural norms create barriers for women in education, employment and decision-making, thus further entrenching unequal gender relations. This book explores the ways in which gender-sensitive and inclusive policies can be developed to address the basic issues of marginalisation, livelihood, poverty and vulnerability in the Eastern Himalayas. The chapters in the volume touch upon current concerns, such as the economic and social challenges faced by women, their control over resources, questions of patriarchy, discrimination, gender rights and equity, information, empowerment and participation, and women as agents of change. This volume will be useful to researchers and scholars in gender studies, sociology and social anthropology, development studies, economic and human geography, politics, northeast and Himalayan studies, South Asian studies, as well as policymakers and those in the development sector and non-governmental organisations.

Papers presented at seminars and symposia organized by the Indian Institute of Hill Economy, Darjeeling.

The book is designed to highlight the regional personality of the urbanization in this region. Care has been taken to present a balanced view. Development problems of the hill towns of the Garhwal Himalaya have also been discussed. This interdisiciplianary book is recommended to every studdent of geography, urban studies, town and country planning, regional studies, ekistics, urban sociology, demography, tourism and many other branches of social sciences and humanities.

This volume explores the dynamics of urbanisation in Northeast India. It discusses the impact of the process of urbanisation on the environment, infrastructure and socio-economic conditions of the region. The chapters in the book: Examine various challenges and opportunities of urbanisation, such as frontier urbanism, urban congestion, smart cities, vernacular architecture, urban water and waste management, cross-border migration and ethnicity. Draw attention to critical issues that have massively disturbed the urban landscape including deterioration of water quality, seismic activity and air pollution. Give alternatives that could present possible solutions to the problems afflicting this region. Drawing on case studies rooted in extensive fieldwork, this book will be indispensable to researchers and students of urban studies, human geography, development economics, cultural studies and South Asian studies. It will also be of interest to policy-makers, government representatives and town planners.

Contributed articles.