Chapters 2 The Study Area CHAPTER-2 Assam: Assam is the land of undulated blue hills, green forestry and mighty snow while river Brahmaputra with its innumerable tributaries situated between 90°-96° east longitude and 24°-26° north latitude, it is comparatively developed economy of North-East India. It is bounded by Arunachal Pradesh on the East and West Bengal on the West. While the North side is flanked by Bhutan and Arunachal Pradesh and southern side there is Nagaland, Manipur, Tripura, and Meghalaya. The southernmost side is flanked by Mizoram. Physiologically Assam is divided into three regions, the Brahmaputra and the Barak Valley and the hill region of North Cachar and Karbi Anglong, situated in the lower-middle part of Assam, Guwahati is the largest city of North East Region. This city may be called as the Gateway of North East Region. For administrative and revenue purposes, the state has 27 districts including the newly created Kamrup urban district and four districts under the newly created Bodo land Territorial Council (BTC) areas Kokrajhar, Baska, Chirang and Udalguri. As per 2011 census, total population of Assam was 31,169,272. The total population of the state has increased from 26,638,407 to 31,169,272 in the last ten years with a growth rate of 16.93%. Of the 27 districts of Assam, eight districts registered rise in the decadal population growth rate. Interestingly, religious minority-dominated districts like Dhubri, Goalpara, Barpeta, Morigaon, Nagaon, Hailakandi etc. recorded growth rates ranging from 20 per cent to 24 per cent during the last decade. On the other hand, eastern Assam districts like Sivasagar, Jorhat etc. registered around 9 per cent population growth, and for the record, these districts do not share any international border. 101 I P a g e Total population of Assam was 26.66 million with 4.91 million households in 2001. Higher population concentration was recorded in the districts of Kamrup, Nagaon, Sonitpur, Barpeta, Dhubri, Darang and Cachar. Assam's population was estimated at 28.67 million in 2006 and at 30.57 million in 2011, 34.18 million by 2021 and 35.60 million by 2026. In 2011, literacy rate in the state was 73.18%. Male literacy rate was 78.81% and female literacy rate was 67.27%. In 2001, the census had recorded literacy in Assam at 63.3% with male literacy at 71.3% and female at 54.6%. Urbanization rate was recorded at 12.9%. Growth of population in Assam has experienced a very high trajectory since the mid-decades of the 20th century. Population grew steadily from 3.29 million in 1901 to 6.70 million in 1941, while it has increased unprecedentedly to 14.63 million in 1971 and 22.41 million in 1991 to reach the present level. The growth in the western and southern districts was extremely high primarily due to the rapid influx of people from East Pakistan, now Bangladesh. An estimated 400,000 people have been displaced in the recent ethnic violence between indigenous Bodos and Bengali- Muslims. Assam has many ethnic groups and the People of India project has studied 115 of these. Out of which 79 (69%) identify themselves regionally, 22 (19%) locally, and 3 trans-nationally. The earliest settlers were Austro-Asiatic, followed by Tibeto- Burman, Indo-Aryan speakers, and Tai-Kadai speakers.[96] Forty-five languages are spoken by different communities, including three major language families: Austro- Asiatic (5), Sino-Tibetan (24) and Indo-European (12). Three of the spoken languages do not fall in these families. There is a high degree of bilingualism. There are 23 notified Scheduled Tribes (ST) in Assam with the Bodos (40.9 per cent) making half of the total ST population (around 13 per cent) of the state. The 102 I P n g e other STs (both plains and hills) include Miri, Karbi, Rabha, Kachari, Lalung, Barman in Cachar, Borokachar, Deori, Hajai, Mech, Dimasa, Hajong, Singhphho, Khampti and Garo, Biate, Khasi, Jaintia, Synteng, Pnar, War, Bhoi, Lyngngam, and Kuki,Chakma, Hmar. Geography: Geomorphic studies conclude that the Brahmaputra, the life-line of Assam is an antecedent river, older than the Himalayas. The river with steep gorgesand rapids in Arunachal Pradesh entering Assam, becomes a braided river (at times 10 mi/16 km wide) and with tributaries, creates a flood plain (Brahmaputra Valley: 50-60 mi/80- 100 km wide, 600 mi/1000 km long).[35] The hills of Karbi Anglong, North Cachar and those in and close to Guwahati (also Khasi-Garo Hills) now eroded and dissected are originally parts of the South Indian Plateau system.[35] In the south, the Barak originating in the Barail Range (Assam-Nagaland border) flows through the Cachar district with a 25-30 miles (40-50 km) wide valley and enters Bangladesh with the name Surma. Assam has petroleum, natural gas, coal, limestone and other minor minerals such as magnetic quartzite, kaolin, sillimanites, clay and feldspar.[36] A small quantity of iron ore is available in western districts. Discovered in 1889, all the major petroleum-gas reserves are in Upper parts. A recent USGS estimate shows 399 million barrels (63,400,000 m^) of oil, 1,178 billion cubic feet (3.34xI0'° m^) of gas and 67 million barrels (10,700,000 m^) of natural gas liquids in the Assam Geologic Province. With the "Tropical Monsoon Rainforest Climate", Assam is temperate (summer max. at 95-100 °F or 35-38 °C and winter min. at 43-46 °F or 6-8 °C) and experiences heavy rainfall and high humidity. The climate is characterized by heavy monsoon downpours reducing summer temperatures and affecting foggy nights and 103 I P a K e mornings in winters, frequent during the afternoons. Spring (Mar-Apr) and Autumn (Sept-Oct) are usually pleasant with moderate rainfall and temperature. Urban Centers: Guwahati is the most important city in Assam and also one of the 100 fastest growing cities in the world. Guwahati is the gateway to the North-East India. Silchar, (in the Barak valley) the 2nd most populous city in Assam and an important centre of business, education and tourism. Dibrugarh, the 3"* populous city and with better rail, road and air connectivity and flourishing oil, natural gas, tea and tourism industry around, is a major city in Assam after Guwahati Jorhat (in the Brahmaputra valley), the 4''' most populous city and an important urban centre of Eastern Assam with flourishing business and educational institutions. The Barak Valley: Barak Valley is situated in the southern part of the Indian state of Assam. The main city of the valley is Silchar. It is named after the Barak River. Barak valley mainly consists of three districts namely Cachar, Karimganj, and Hailakandi. Karimganj. The district headquarters of Karimganj, is the second largest town in the valley. It is considered as the cultural centre of Barak valley. The Barak River is the major river of north-eastern India and part of the Surma-Meghna River System. It raises in the Manipur hills and enters the plains near Lakhipur. Downstream of Silchar town and before entering Bangladesh the Barak bifurcates into the Surma River and the Kushiyara River. The principal tributaries of the Barak in India are the Jirl, the Dhaleshwari, the Singla, the Longai, the Sonai and the KatakJial. From its source in the Manipur Hills near Mao Songsang, the river is known as the Barak River. It flows west through Manipur State, then southwest leaving Manipur. The principal tributaries of the Barak in India are the Jiri, the Dhaleshwari, the Singla, the Longai, the Sonai and the Katakhal. 104 I P a g e In Mizoram State it flows southwest then veers abniptly north when joined by a north flowing stream and flows into Assam State where it turns westward again near Lakipur and flows west past the town of Silchar where it enters Bangladesh. In the upper part, the river receives a lot of little hill streams, namely, Gumti, Howrah, Kagni, Senai Buri, Hari Mangal, Kakrai, Kurulia, Balujhuri, Shonaichhari and Durduria. The official language of Barak valley is Bangla. However, majority of people speak a dialect, which is known as Sylheti Bangla. Religious composition of the valley population is Hindu: 50%, Muslim: 46%, and others 4%. Hindus are majority in Cachar district (60) % while Muslims are majority in Karimganj district (53%) and Hailakandi district (57%).Apart from Sylheti Bengalis, Barak Valley is the home land of Kacharis, Manipuris (Both Bishnupriya and Meiti), Rongmai Nagas, and tea garden labourers. Of the three districts, Karimganj and Hailakandi districts have a Muslim majority while Cachar district has 40% Muslim population. The valley has a long history of Islam and Muslim life; half of the valley came under the rule of the Turk- Afghan dynasties of Bengal from the early 14th century and continued with the establishment of the Mughal Empire. However, the dominance of Muslim culture finally ended with the introduction of British rule in Bengal. In 1947 when plebiscite held in Sylhet, the district got divided into two, the eastern part of Sylhet which is known as Karimganj remained with India whereas the other part fell under Bangladesh. The official language of the valley is Bengali, while the majority of people speak Sylheti, a dialect of the Bangla language. Geographically the region is surrounded by hills from all the three sides except its western plain boundary with Bangladesh. Nihar Ranjan Roy, author of Bangalir Itihash says, "South Assam or Barak Valley is the extension of greater Meghna Valley of Bengal' in all the way from culture to geography.