Martin Luther Christian University

Department of Environment & Traditional Ecosystems

The Mission Statement
“To promote and document environmentally conducive indigenous methods and traditional practices of the region by equipping the students with the competency to understand, conserve and practice these methods for livelihoods that will, in turn, contribute to the sustainable development of the region. ”

The Department was established in 2012 with a postgraduate programme in Environment and Social Development. In 2016, the Department introduced BSc in Environmental Sciences and BA in Environmental Studies.

The fact that environmental studies is multidisciplinary in nature and is intricately woven into the lives of tribal and indigenous people has led to special importance being accorded to traditional knowledge, culture and environment, and folklore.

The Department has also been engaging in the documentation of Khasi, Jaintia and Garo traditional medicine. To this end, it has been able to build an active networking with the traditional healers’ community. The Department was also instrumental in drafting the Khasi Hills Autonomous District (Protection and Promotion of Khasi Traditional Medicine) Act, 2011 of the Khasi Hills District Autonomous Council, Meghalaya.

At present the Department is focused on undertaking studies and research work in the field of surface archeology, speleology, paleontology, waste management, and land reclamation. These research areas were selected with the objective of heritage conservation.

The Department presently offers Master of Science in Environmental Sciences (MSc ES) and Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science (BSc ES) The Department has six faculty members.

1. Training and mock drill on disaster management (first aid, fire-fighting and evacuation) for staff and students of MLCU
2. Awareness Programme on Sanitation and Waste Management organised in collaboration with PHE, Government of Meghalaya in East Khasi Hills (Rangbihbih, Mawkliaw Pynursla), and in Umrynjah,RiBhoi district, Meghalaya.
3. Project titled, “Prioritisation, identification and mapping of medicinal plants used in the traditional medicine systems of the Khasi and Garo tribes of Meghalaya”, funded by the Department of Biotechnology,Government of India.
4. Project on “Waste Management at Iewduh” under the Clean Shillong Campaign in collaboration with Hima Mylliem and Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board
5. Collaboration with Khasi Traditional Medicine Commission, Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council to provide education in, conduct research on, provide healthcare in, and promote Khasi traditional medicine under the Promotion and protection of Khasi Traditional Medicine Act, 2011.
6. Khasi History in Stone: The Robin Laloo Memorial Seminar on Heritage and Legacy on April 10, 2018 in collaboration with ICARE, Shillong
7. Understanding Mountain Peoples’ Approach & Practices to Combating Climate Change in the Indian Himalayan Region: Research to Renewal and Reforms” – a Roundtable organized by the Department of Environment & Traditional Ecosystems, Martin Luther Christian University, Shillong in collaboration with Integrated Mountain Initiative, New Delhi .
8. Swachch Bharat Summer Internship for college and & University students - an initiative of the Ministry of Human Resources Development implemented by the Swachch Bharat Mission (Gramin), Government of Meghalaya.
9. National Symposium on “Intellectual Property Rights in the context of traditional knowledge and biodiversity” from 4-6th Dec, 2018

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