ABSTRACT
The chapter focuses on the small town of Cherrapunji in the southern Khasi Hills of Meghalaya that became famous in the colonial era as the wettest spot in the world. The study utilizes rainfall data collected by individuals and agencies from the late 1820s onwards to reveal a long-term trend in both the amount of rainfall and its reliability. The chapter considers local and regional causes of this pattern such as the result of the effects of climate change on the monsoon. It argues that deforestation and environmental degradation arising from mining and industrial activities have increased Cherrapunji’s environmental hazards. The neighbouring Assam region has become vulnerable to drought, despite lying in north eastern India’s traditional wet region. Cherrapunji’s local tribal population face drinking water shortages and the threat of loss of touristic income as their home loses its international claim to fame.
