Meghalaya Research Articles

Understanding COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in Meghalaya, India: Multiple correspondence and agglomerative hierarchical cluster analyses.

Meghalaya, a state in the northeastern region of India, had a markedly low vaccine uptake compared to the other states in the country when COVID-19 vaccines were being rolled out in 2021. This study aimed to characterize the distinct vaccine-hesitant subpopulations in healthcare and community settings in Meghalaya state in the early days of the vaccination program. We used data from a cross-sectional survey that was administered to 200 healthcare workers (HCWs) and 200 community members, who were a priori identified as 'vaccine-eligible' and 'vaccine-hesitant,' in Shillong city, Meghalaya, in May 2021. The questionnaire collected information on participants' sociodemographic characteristics, COVID-19 history, and presence of medical comorbidities. Participants were also asked to provide a dichotomous answer to a set of 19 questions, probing the reasons for their hesitancy towards COVID-19 vaccines. A multiple correspondence analysis, followed by an agglomerative hierarchical cluster analysis, was performed to identify the distinct clusters of vaccine-hesitant participants. We identified seven clusters: indecisive HCWs (n = 71), HCWs skeptical of COVID-19 and COVID-19 vaccines (n = 128), highly educated male tribal/clan leaders concerned about infertility and future pregnancies (n = 14), less educated adults influenced by leaders and family (n = 47), older adults worried about vaccine safety (n = 76), middle-aged adults without young children (n = 56), and highly educated ethnic/religious minorities with misinformation (n = 8). Across all the clusters, perceived logistical challenges associated with receiving the vaccine was identified as a common factor contributing to vaccine hesitancy. Our study findings provide valuable insights for local and state health authorities to effectively target distinct subgroups of vaccine-hesitant populations with tailored health messaging, and also call for a comprehensive approach to address the common drivers of vaccine hesitancy in communities with low vaccination rates.

FEMINISM IN THE MUSICAL LANDSCAPE OF NORTH- EAST INDIA: AN IN-DEPTH ANALYSIS

This research explores the intricate interplay between feminism and the musical landscape of North-east India, focusing on the state of Assam, Sikkim, and Meghalaya, delving into both traditional and contemporary expressions. In the region known for its diverse cultures, the study aims to elucidate the place of women in traditional music, analyze the representation of women in contemporary genres, and the feminist that are prevalent in the North-east Indian music tradition and industry. Through ethnographic fieldwork, interviews, and a comparative analysis of gender dynamics in the industry, the research seeks to uncover the ways in which music acts as a conduit for challenging and reshaping societal perceptions of gender roles. The findings aim to contribute to the global discourse on feminism in music while providing nuanced insights into the unique cultural context of North-east India. This research not only adds to academic knowledge but also holds practical implications for fostering gender equality and empowerment within the regional music scene.

Evaluating the Categorical Exclusion of Khasi Women from Inheritance and Property Rights

Abstract Customary laws govern inheritance among many tribal communities that fall within the ambit of the fifth and sixth schedules of the Indian Constitution. Under this paper’s scope, we shall look at the Khasi community hailing from the state of Meghalaya which is a matrilineal community. Where the Khasis draw their lineage from their mothers, there is a misnomer that women inherit and own the entire property. In light of the abovementioned background, the paper makes an analytical study of the customary inheritance rights of Khasi women, the nature of resource ownership and attempts to understand the grounds behind the claims of gender preference in the existing matrilineal system practised by the Khasis of Meghalaya. We also look at the intersection of gender and matrilineal system of inheritance in the Khasi community, the dispute between customs and legislations and examine whether there exists a need for codification. The paper also discusses the findings of the survey and focus group discussions including 90 Khasi women from East Khasi Hills and their growing consensus on equal inheritance rights but resistance towards statutory laws to govern their lives.

Regional Variation in Chikungunya Viral Infection Prevalence in Meghalaya: A Study from Tertiary Teaching Center from North East India

Aim: The aim of the study is to investigate the sero-prevalence of chikungunya presented within NEIGRIHMS (North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical sciences), a regional institute located in Shillong, Meghalaya, India.
 Study Design: This was a cross-sectional study.
 Place and Duration of the Study: The study was carried out in NEIGRIHMS covering patients within Meghalaya apart from the Garo Hills, India, during the months of June to November, 2023.
 Methodology: Blood samples from patients were collected and were subjected to CHIKV IgM ELISA for detection of chikungunya virus infection. A total of 100 samples (46 males and 54 females; age range: 18 above) from patientswith chikungunya-like symptoms commonly fever, arthralgia, myalgia and headache were recruited for the study.
 Results: Out of 100 samples tested for CHIKV IgM Elisa, 10 samples came out positive.
 Conclusion: An active surveillance of cases and identification of their sources can help to identify where the resources for chikungunya prevention program should be distributed within the state of Meghalaya for optimum utilization of resources and effective disease control.

Aligning Meghalaya’s Youth Entrepreneurship Development With The 2030 Development Goals: Awareness Level-Based Perspective Of Government Support For Entrepreneurship Development

Purpose- To align with India’s 2030 development goals agenda, there is no doubt that over the years the support for entrepreneurship development has been one of the outlines of the government of Meghalaya. This paper emphasizes unearthing the level of awareness of young entrepreneurs of the East Khasi Hills District, Meghalaya of such government support. Design/methodology/approach- Analysis via statistical tools such as descriptive statistics and inferential statistics viz, t-test and ANOVA were employed on a sample size of 384 young entrepreneurs of East Khasi Hills District. Findings- The results indicate that there is a privation of awareness of the government support through various departments of Meghalaya concerning young entrepreneurs of the district. Practical implications- A plethora of research has been done on youth entrepreneurship development, but rarely studies were conducted on the level of awareness of young entrepreneurs of the government support for entrepreneurship development. Originality/value- The current study will assist the government to know that the support provided by the government to entrepreneurs did not reach all. On the other hand, the young entrepreneurs of Meghalaya will be aware that the government did not turn a deaf ear towards them, rather entrepreneurship support exists in the state of Meghalaya. Therefore, the study will help the government in setting up an awareness dissemination system in the state.

To Study the Unique Characteristics of Cut Mark on Clothes with a Suspected Knife on the Basis of Microscopic Examination (Optical Comparator): A Case Report

Forensic physics plays a crucial role in cut mark examination, particularly in the analysis of tool marks, including those created by sharp objects like knives or other cutting instruments. The examination of cut marks involves the application of various principles and techniques from physics to understand the nature, characteristics, and potential source of the marks. In the State of Meghalaya, a numbers of cases are received to determine whether the cut marks on clothes are caused or cut by the suspected sharp object. This is predominantly occurring due to conflicts among individuals or groups often involving the use of hard objects or sharp weapons. The prevalence of such cases necessitates a closer examination of cut marks on clothing items as crucial forensic evidence. However, due to improper collection, preservation and packaging of exhibits has cause a potential hinder for the Forensic Expert's ability to provide a conclusive opinion. This study sheds light on the frequent occurrence of cases wherein cut marks on clothing serve as pivotal forensic evidence. Through a systematic scientific approach, this paper elucidates the significance of identifying and interpreting such distinctive features in forensic investigation. This study endeavours to empower forensic experts, enabling them to provide more reliable and insightful conclusions in cases involving cut mark examinations. The proposed improvements not only strengthen the forensic framework but also contribute to the effective resolution of cases involving attempted harm in this region.

Analysis of extreme annual rainfall in North-Eastern India using machine learning techniques

Abstract The machine learning techniques of Multiple Linear Regression (MLR), Generalized Additive Models (GAMs), and the Random Forest (RF) Method have been used to analyze the extreme annual rainfall in the six states of Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, Mizoram, Manipur, and Nagaland in North-Eastern (NE) India. Latitude, longitude, altitude, and temperature were the covariates that were used in this study. Ordinary Kriging was used to interpolate the predicted outcomes of each dataset. Statistical metrics like Mean Absolute Errors (MAE), Root Mean Square Error (RMSE), Coefficients of Determination (COD-R2), and Nash–Sutcliffe Efficiency (NSE) were also assessed. When compared to satellite rainfall data, all techniques performed significantly better for ground rainfall data. For prediction, GAM's predicted rainfall values triumph over MLR or RF. RF ranks a close second, while the linearity of MLR prohibits it from making precise predictions for a physical phenomenon like rainfall. The MAE and RMSE of GAM forecasts are significantly lower than those of MLR and RF in most circumstances. Additionally, the COD and NSE of GAM predictions are significantly better than both MLR and RF in most cases, showing that GAM, out of MLR, GAM, and RF, is the best model for predicting rain in our research area.

An illustrated guide to the lady beetles (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) of the Indian Subcontinent. Part II. Tribe Chilocorini.

An illustrated guide to the lady beetles of the tribe Chilocorini (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae: Coccinellinae) of the Indian region is presented. Brief diagnostic accounts of six genera and 31 species are given with supporting illustrations of the diagnostic characters, including genitalia, wherever possible. Details of distribution, host insects / plant associations, and seasonal occurrences are provided for the first time based on extensive collections, label data and published literature. Chilocorus keralensis sp. n. is described from the Western Ghats, South India. Brumoides lineatus sensu Kapur 1967, recorded from the Andaman Islands, is found to be distinct from B. lineatus Weise 1885, and described and illustrated as B. andamanensis sp. n. Phaenochilus indicus Miyatake, 1970 and P. flaviceps Miyatake, 1970 are transferred to Chilocorus Leach (comb. n.) following the latest phylogenetic generic classification of Chilocorini. Three species, Chilocorus albomarginalis (Li & Wang), Chilocorus nigricaeruleus Li & Wang and Chilocorus yunlongensis Cao & Xiao, all originally described from China, are added to the Indian fauna of Chilocorini based on material examined from the north-eastern Indian states of Assam, Meghalaya, and Manipur, respectively. For nine species, illustrations of the life stages are included to facilitate their field identification. A key to the genera and an updated and revised checklist of the Chilocorini of the Indian subcontinent are also provided.

Determination of annual rainfall in north-east India using deterministic, geospatial, and machine learning techniques

Abstract Analysis of extreme annual rainfall in the six north-east Indian states of Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, and Tripura using the deterministic interpolation technique of inverse distance weighting (IDW), the geospatial interpolation technique of Ordinary Kriging (OK) and the machine learning prediction technique of generalised additive model (GAM). GAM is used only for prediction and hence the results are then subsequently interpolated by OK to create the rainfall maps. The datasets considered for this study are a training dataset of 171 points which consisted of satellite rainfall and a testing dataset with ground rain gauge data of 33 points which was used for validation of the former. A combined dataset of training + testing was also interpolated and mapped to compare for visual accuracy of each technique. It was seen that OK was a superior and a much more realistic interpolation technique than IDW, since it took the altitude of each site into consideration along with latitude and longitude, unlike IDW, which only interpolated over the x–y plane and didn't rely on altitude. When the predictions of the training dataset through GAM were mapped using OK, it showed almost parallel contours, which is undesirable for natural phenomenon like rain.

Leadership and Political Participation of Garo Youth in Meghalaya: Empowering the Future Generation

Leadership and political participation of Garo youth in the northeastern state of Meghalaya are a significant demographic, making up over 40% of the Meghalaya state’s population in India. The Garo community, one of the most prominent indigenous tribes in the region, has experienced significant cultural transformations over the years, but the preservation of their unique heritage and values remains crucial. Moreover, it also discusses the impact of youth participation and leadership on the overall development of Meghalaya, considering the perspectives of sustainable development, community cohesion, and cultural preservation. By incorporating the voices of Garo youth, they themselves provide an authentic and inclusive view of their aspirations, challenges, and visions for the future. The objectives of the research article are, firstly, to examine the role of Garo youth in actively engaging in social, political, and economic activities, as well as their growing involvement in leadership roles within their communities. Secondly, this research aims to identify the barriers that hinder the full potential of Garo youth and suggest potential solutions for enhanced empowerment. Thirdly, the study aims to explore effective measures and policy interventions that can enhance Garo youth engagement and leadership, thus contributing to the overall development and prosperity of the community while fostering a sense of pride and ownership among the youth for their cultural heritage and identity. This research article adopts descriptive-analytical and qualitative methods. The study is based on secondary sources such as magazines, books, articles, newspapers, and online resources related to the topic. The delimitation of the present study is that it focuses only on youth political participation in the Garo Hills of the State of Meghalaya.

A Study on the Efficacy of Lakadong Turmeric collected from selected regions of Meghalaya.

This study is to evaluate the 'Lakadong turmeric‘ which is regarded as the stylish and exquisite variety of turmeric setup in the state of Meghalaya. The assessment was carried out at the State Food Testing Laboratory under the Commissionerate of Food Safety, Pasteur Hills, Shillong. The study represents a brief analysis reflecting the microbial contaminations, chemical contaminants, trace elements like heavy metals and pesticide residues of various 'Lakadong turmeric‘ samples collected from different regions of Meghalaya. Collection of samples was done on random sampling from selected part of East Khasi Hills (locality namely; Laban and Lumshngain), West Jaintia Hills (Laskhein and Shangpung), and Ri Bhoi District (Umeit and Mawkhap) respectively. Around 7 (seven) Pure ‗Lakadong Turmeric‘ samples were tested for the presence of Escherichia coli, Salmonella and Yeasts and Moulds respectively. However, all tested samples depict absence of bacterial growth, indicating that these ‗Lakadong Turmeric‘ samples collected and tested are bacteriologically free from pathogens and other bacterial contaminations. Chemical analysis like, Moisture content, Total Ash, and Acid Insoluble Ash (AIA) was also performed in all 7 (seven) turmeric samples and all these samples conform to the prescribed standards as per the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. Presence of macro, micro and toxic heavy metals were also assessed to analysed the curcumin content of each ‗Lakadong Turmeric‘ samples inorder to determine the authenticity of the products. It was observed that samples show value for heavy metals below the Limit of Quantity (LOQ) indicating that all 7 (seven) ‗Lakadong Turmeric‘ samples shows no interference of trace metals. Curcumin content of all 7 (seven) samples shows variable values ranges from 5-13.80 %. From the study, it was shown that the turmeric sample derive from Laskein region, West Jaintia Hills District have the highest curcumin content of 13.80% respectively.

Sustaining traditional textile art among the Indigenous Nongtluh women of north-eastern India: An interpretative phenomenological analysis

Indigenous textile artisans have, for centuries, maintained traditional methods of textile making that is central to their livelihood and cultural identity. However, the increasing commodification of indigenous textiles around the world has threatened the preservation of traditional, eco-friendly methods of textile production, making it imperative to learn how indigenous groups that have successfully sustained their traditional textile art, have done so. This ethnographic study peers through the lens of indigenous Nongtluh women textile artisans belonging to the Ri-Bhoi district in the state of Meghalaya in the north-eastern region of India, with the aim of understanding how their traditional textile art has been sustained. An interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) of in-depth interview, focus group, field observation and photographic data uncovered two overarching themes that represented internal and external factors that have contributed to the sustenance of the Nongtluh women’s traditional textile art. Internal factors signified the artisans’ deep love for their textile art through inheritance, passion, ingenuity and pride. External factors revealed the role of government, economic prospect and convenience in the sustenance of the traditional textile art in this region. An interpretive framework is presented, representing these factors through the tree of sustenance. Implications and limitations are discussed.

Quantitative analysis of medicinal plants used by traditional healers of the Khasi tribe in East Khasi Hills District, Meghalaya, India

Traditional healers in India hold a prominent place within the country’s healthcare landscape due to their deep-rooted cultural heritage and holistic approaches to well-being spanning diverse systems such as Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha, and indigenous tribal practices. These healers offer natural remedies and personalized care, often in rural or remote areas of the state of Meghalaya where traditional healers play a highly significant role in rural health care since access to modern medical facilities are limited or non-existent. The study was carried out in selected villages across East Khasi Hills district, Meghalaya to quantitatively analyze the medicinal plants used by the traditional healers. Field surveys were carried out during the year 2021–2022 in order to document the medicinal plants used by the traditional healers in the selected villages. A total of 4 villages were selected i.e. Mawlyngbna, Lawbah, Thyllaw and Sohbar village. Of the selected villages, 10 traditional healers were interviewed and a structured questionnaire was used to collect data on local plant names, uses, parts used, and modes of preparation and administration; the collected data was analyzed through informant consensus factor (Fic), use value (UV), Informant agreement ratio (IAR) and fidelity level (FL).

Neural machine translation systems for English to Khasi: A case study of an Austroasiatic language

Neural machine translation has predominantly outperformed previous machine translation models primarily for resourceful languages. However, very little work has been reported for resource-constrained languages such as Khasi. The Khasi language belongs to the Mon-Khmer branch of the Austroasiatic language family and is spoken primarily in the state of Meghalaya in India. Although performing neural machine translation for the under-resourced Khasi language is difficult, we build a substantial parallel corpus of English–Khasi. We apply three segmentation methods in the datasets for our experiments: untokenized, tokenized and a subword BPE (Byte Pair Encoding). Experiments are carried out on this dataset with different aspects of neural machine translation systems using cutting-edge architectures such as LSTM (Long Short Term Memory), GRU (Gated Recurrent Unit) and a transformer based model for the English–Khasi language pair. We also carry out experiments by adapting the transfer learning approach using English-Vietnamese as the parent language pair and English-Khasi as the child language pair. This work reports a quantitative and qualitative analysis of several models based on architectural and data segmentation methodologies. The experimental findings show that the model adapted using the transfer learning approach achieved a reasonable improvement in BLEU scores with the highest being 58.1 BLEU on similar domains and 17.7 BLEU for the general domain outscoring the other models for the same language pair. Qualitative analysis is carried out focusing on the morphological inflections of gender identification in the translated output.

Evaluation of Postharvest Losses of Banana Growers in North East India: An Ordered Probit Analysis

This study aimed to examine postharvest losses encountered by banana cultivators in the northeastern Indian states of Assam and Meghalaya across three discrete temporal phases: prior to the onset of COVID-19, during the COVID-19 pandemic, and in the aftermath of COVID-19. A total of 100 households, distributed among the selected villages with 10 households per village, were chosen through a random selection process. Furthermore, the current study evaluates the impact of diverse socio-economic variables on these losses through the application of an ordered probit model. The findings of the study suggested that, during both pre- and post-COVID 19 periods, the postharvest losses of banana farmer ranges between 1 to 32%, whereas, it was between 34 to 70% during COVID 19 period. Moreover, the study argued that the postharvest losses of banana farmers were influenced by the locational indicator, education, farming experience, land pattern as well as some other production and cost related factors of farmers. Despite this, the factors that influenced postharvest losses exhibited a significant change in direction across the various time periods. The study suggests that in less developed regions such as North East India, decreasing postharvest losses could play a vital role in alleviating poverty and fostering rural advancement by creating more opportunities for agribusiness livelihoods.

Constraints in Ginger Cultivation by Farmers of West Garo Hills District of Meghalaya

A research was conducted in West-Garo Hills district of Meghalaya State, India during October 2020 to January 2021 so as to identify the major constraints involved in ginger cultivation as perceived by the respondents. Following the multi stage sampling method, two RD blocks i.e., Rongram and Daluwere purposively selected for the study with a total of 120 respondents from six villages. Descriptive research design was followed in this study. The study concluded that most of the ginger cultivators belonged to middle age category. The land holding under ginger cultivation was medium because of the hilly terrain. It was found that ginger cultivation had been a family tradition for generations thus promote large scale cultivation of ginger commercially. Ginger growers of the study area had average income. The farmers were getting very less return from ginger cultivation, therefore, to mitigate it, the Department of Agriculture, Government of Meghalaya initiated the transportation system called the 1917 i-TEAMS Ginger mission (Integrated Technology Enabled Agri- Management System) to facilitate remunerative price by eliminating the middleman. It was also found that farmers had interest towards new innovations and technologies and were willing to take high risk to get more income from ginger cultivation, therefore, concerned departments should build upon this interest in bringing about adoption of new practices. The major constraint was the lack of knowledge on pest and disease management, hence, the study recommended for training on plant protection measures.

Characterisation of Anopheles species composition and genetic diversity in Meghalaya, northeast India, using molecular identification tools.

Malaria in India is declining, in part due to the use of long-lasting insecticide-treated nets (LLINs) and vector control. Historically, the north-eastern region of India has contributed ~10%-12% of the nation's malaria burden. The important mosquito vectors in northeast India have long been considered to be Anopheles baimaii and An. minimus, both associated with forest habitats. Local deforestation and increased rice cultivation, along with widespread LLIN use, may be changing vector species composition. Understanding if and how vector species composition is changing is critical to successful malaria control. In Meghalaya state, malaria is now at a low level of endemicity with occasional seasonal outbreaks. In a biodiverse setting like Meghalaya, where >24 Anopheles mosquito species have been recorded, accurate morphological identification of all species is logistically challenging. To accurately determine Anopheles species richness in the West Khasi Hills (WKH) and West Jaintia Hills (WJH) districts, adult and larval mosquitoes were collected and identified using molecular methods of allele-specific PCR and cytochrome oxidase I DNA barcoding. In 14 villages across both districts, we identified high species richness, 19 species in total. Molecular findings indicated that An. minimus and An. baimaii were rare, while four other species (An. maculatus, An. pseudowillmori, An. jeyporiensis and An. nitidus) were abundant. Anopheles maculatus was highly prevalent in WKH (39% of light trap collections) and An. pseudowillmori in WJH (45%). Larvae of these four species were found in rice fields, suggesting that land cover change is influencing species composition change. Our results suggest that rice fields might be contributing to the observed abundance of An. maculatus and An. pseudowillmori, which could be playing a role in malaria transmission, either independently due to their high abundance, or in combination with An. baimaii and/or An. minimus.

Nutritional and toxicological aspects of selected wild edible plants and significance for this society

Consumption of wild edible plants has played a significant role in supplying food and nutritional requirements and increasing the health status of underprivileged communities in many rural parts of the world. The present investigation was to evaluate the nutritive value, mineral content, vitamin content, and toxicological status of ten wild edible plants viz. Phlogocanthus thrysiflorus, Lasia spinosa, Eriosema chinense, Polygonum microcephalum, Nasturtium indicum, Spinacia oleracea, Malva parviflora, Leucaena leucocephala, Elsholtzia blanda, and Sonchus oleraceus, consumed by the tribal people of Meghalaya State in India, as their nourishment. All investigated plants were collected from different areas of Meghalaya state, and their nutraceutical potential was evaluated following the standard food analysis methods described in the Association of Official Analytical Chemists. Protein contents were very high in several species, especially in N. indicum (24.75%). Carbohydrate content ranged from 5.86% (S. oleracea) to 21.28% (E. chinense). All plants contained significant amounts of minerals (Na, K, Ca, Fe, Zn, Mg), and water soluble vitamins such as vitamin C (0.24–5.79 mg/100 g of dry plant material), B1, B2, B3, B5, B6 and B9. Antinutrients such as oxalate, phytate, saponin and heavy metal (Pb, Cr, Cd, Hg) levels in all plants were estimated below fatal levels. The consequences of haemolytic toxicity, cytotoxicity and genotoxicity of water extracts of wild edible plants ensure safety for human consumption. Therefore, this study focuses on the utilization of wild edible plants as a source of dietary supplements, which may result in the commercialization of the produce; hence, it assesses consumer perceptions towards wild edible plants in India.

Decolonial Re-existence through Animist Realism: Water Spirits and Shamanic Mantras in Janice Pariat's Boats on Land

Colonialism's deleterious impact on Indigenous epistemologies has engendered an exigent concern in the project of decoloniality, calling for a re-existence of marginalized cosmovisions. To accomplish this, an epistemic delinking from the paradigm of Eurocentric discourses is imperative in the interest of a comprehensive appreciation and recognition of Indigenous knowledge systems. In this vein, the present study employs the literary trope of animist realism to analyze two short stories from the anthology Boats on Land by the Khasi author, Janice Pariat. Her creative writing explores the animist philosophy of the Khasi community who dwell in the humid tropical State of Meghalaya, India. Through an attentive reading of the animist belief in water spirits and shamanic mantra rituals, this paper critiques colonial narratives of Khasi animist worldviews as "satanic", "supernatural", or psycho-pathological aberrations. The paper presents Khasi animist wisdom as a sophisticated and equitable principle of mutual coexistence and respectful relationality between human and more-than-human realms, replete with spiritual, ecological, and cosmological overtones. Indigenous animist epistemologies are indispensable as sustainable alternatives to the knowledge structures of colonial modernity. The present study contributes to the envisioning of a coexistence of Indigenous and Western knowledge systems in the spirit of mutual recognition and constructive engagement within an evolving epistemological landscape in the ongoing decolonial enterprise.

A Study on the Bionomics of Primary Malaria Vectors Anopheles minimus and Anopheles baimaii in Some States of North East Region of India

Northeast region (NER) states of India remain highly malarious due to their geographical and ecotype diversity. Furthermore, rapid urbanization and change in climate are also affecting the vector biology and behavior of the existing species. Hence, a study is conducted in the states of Tripura and Meghalaya to generate data on the bionomics of the prevalent malaria vector species. The data from this study show that primary vectors of malaria An. minimus and An. baimaii were anthropophagic. However, An. baimaii showed a behavioral shift towards zoophagicity (∼14%). Insecticide bioassays confirm that these two major vector species are reportedly susceptible to DDT, Malathion, and indicate that intervention by DDT-IRS is effective. Thus, the implementation of appropriate strategies based on this recent information on the bionomics of malaria vectors in NE region of India will provide an opportunity to achieve malaria elimination by date in these states.