ABSTRACT
Meghalaya, the north-eastern state of India, faces a multitude of challenges, spanning environmental, socio-economic, and governance domains (Bhattacharjee et al., 2025). Environmental degradation is a predominant concern, primarily caused by deforestation, unsustainable shifting cultivation (Jhum) (Tamuli & Bora, 2022), extensive coal mining (Nomani et al., 2021), and monoculture practices (Lyngkhoi et al., 2022). These activities contribute to severe soil erosion, nutrient depletion, and reduced agricultural productivity (Badavath, Sahoo & Samal, 2024). Specifically, coal mining has led to acid mine drainage (AMD), contaminating water bodies and posing a significant environmental threat (Kshetriya et al., 2021).
