Don Bosco Degree College Golaghat

Large dams are very important in water resource management, generation of hydroelectricity, irrigation and management of floods and are usually believed to be required in the achievement of development requirements in ecologically vulnerable and socially important regions like Northeast India, where the river systems are a source of significant social,cultural and ecological value. Therefore, the dam projects should harmonize between economic interests, environmental preservation, and the safeguarding of local and indigenous peoples whose livelihoods, cultures, and social lives are closely related to rivers. The inability to take such a course of action usually leads to ecological degradation, displacement and inequality, cultural erosion in society. Artificial intelligence (AI) has become a significant instrument in the design and control of big dams in recent years. The environmental impacts are measured using AI-based technologies like remote sensing technologies, predictive analytics, and real-time monitoring to control the water flows and manage the risks of disasters. Although these technologies are capable of sustainable management of resources, their employment also brings about some issues concerning governance, involvement and equity. As such, the current paper will discuss the role of large dams in sustainable and inclusive development and the applicability of modern technologies in environmentally friendly and socially equitable management of dams particularly in Northeast India. The research grounded on primary and secondary data; places more emphasis on the secondary data, which are newspaper reports, governmental and non-governmental data, policy documents, and published and unpublished research works. The paper comes up with the conclusion that effective implementation of advanced digital technologies with participatory governance and robust environmental protection is necessary to ensure that large dams can help in sustainable and socially inclusive development of Northeast India.

Keywords: Large Dams, Sustainable Development, Artificial Intelligence, Resource Management, Northeast India