Assessment of Demography and Settlement in the wetland’s surrounding areas: a micro level study from Labpur C.D. block, Birbhum district,

West Bengal

 

Dr. Niladri Das

Department of Geography, Hiralal Bhakat College, Nalhati, Birbhum

*Corresponding Author Email: niladridas123@gmail.com

 

ABSTRACT:

Demography and settlements are the two basic elements in cultural geography. Wetland is one of important natural element which is the biggest storage of ‘gene pool’. Wetland also viewed as a stock of natural resources, which have potential to provide diverse flows of provisioning, regulating and cultural services that are of value to people and it also provides irreplaceable hydrologic and ecological functions including stabilization in water supply, flood control, recharge of ground water aquifer, carbon sequestration etc. Demography and settlement in the wetland surrounding area are quite different from other natural resource area because the demographic dynamics and settlement dynamic have the major impact on wetland hydrology. The major concern of this article is to find out spatio-temporal demographic and settlement pattern of different wetlands area of Labpur block. The result shows that marginal farmers and agricultural labourer are much higher in the beel areas as fertile soil favours the extension of agricultural land. On the other hand, settlements are dispersed over the beel area because water logging does not favour the location of clustered settlement. Finally, gravity center analysis indicates that settlements have the tendency to encroach towards the core of the beel area due to shrinkage of the beel area and extension of the agricultural land.

 

KEYWORDS: Mean center, population growth, Settlement dispersion.

 

 


INTRODUCTION:

Human culture has been implicated in the vast majority of contemporary environmental problems, mainly surface and groundwater (Head et al 2005, Vishal D et al. 2009, U.S. Pujeri 2010 and Chandaluri Subba Rao 2010). In the present day research the analysis of cultural elements is the major concern of study.

 

Cultural phenomena encompass the whole framework of human interaction with environment, leading to articulation of cultural space by diverse human groups in different ways (P. Deepa Rani et al. 2011) With the fast growing of the society, the demands of resources are obviously large which put stress on environment and resources and as a result the ranges of different environmental parameters are going to change (Santra et al. 2018 and Shah, 2001). Demography and settlement are two basic important components of social geography (V. Ashok et al. 2016) Therefore, the demographic dynamics and settlement dynamics and their impact upon the wetland’s hydrology are the major concern of this chapter.

 

 

 

OBJECTIVES:

The major objectives of the concern study are

i.      To show spatio-temporal pattern of population and settlement of the study region.

ii.    To identify the spatial pattern of settlement in the wetlands area.

iii.  To identify the encroachment of settlement towards the wetlands’ region with the help of mean center analysis.

 

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

Study area:

 Labpur C.D block is one of the large C.D. Blocks of Birbhum districts, West Benagal, India, carrying 267.35 Km2. This block includes 11 Gram Panchayats with 180 mauzas. The absolute location of this block is between 23O42'44" N to 23O53'46" N latitude and 87O43'06" E to 87O58'02" E longitude.

 

From the relative location point of view Murshidabad district is located in the eastern part of this block, on the other parts are bounded by the blocks of Birbhum district like Mauyreswar block in the north, Nanoor block in the south, Bolpur-Sriniketan and Sainthia block in south east part (Vide fig. 1).In the study area 10 major seasonal and permanent wetlands scatterly located, among them Langolhata beel is largest wetland.

 

Locally the wetlands are termed as beel area. So, in the present study report this term has been used as synonyms to wetland.

 

 

Fig. 1

METHODOLOGY:

Data regarding the population dynamics have been collected from the District Census Hand Book, Birbhum District from 1951 to 2011.

 

Spatial analysis of settlement pattern is the major focus of this section. So, different spatial statistical techniques have been implemented here.

 

Settlement distribution and redistribution pattern have been analyzed with the help of mean or gravity point of Steward and Warntz (1959). This method yield an idea of the spatial center involving the average of a given spatial dataset and it is determined by i. drawing x- axis by touching southern tip of the map and y- axis by touching the eastern tip of the map. ii. Intersection of two produces the origin of the rectangular co-ordinate system iii. Derived by manipulation the rectangular co-ordinates, i.e. the x and y values (i.e. xi, yi) of the points. (Sarkar, 2013).

 

Nearest Neighbor Analysis (NNA) developed by the plant ecologist Clark and Evans (1954). They specifically designed the nearest Neighbor index (Rn) for measuring pattern in terms of the arrangement of a set of points in two or indeed three dimension (Sarkar,2013). The method to calculate the Rn value is

       do

Rn = -----

      de

 

= observerd mean nearest-neighbor distance and = expected mean nearest neighbor distance, given by

= ; Where di= distance between point I and its nearest neighbor N= total number of points in the region.

 ; Where A= area of region under study

iii. Settlement density has been calculated with the help of simple statistical technique of settlement covered area in a total administrative unit.

Settlement density

settleementcoveredatrea (sq. Km)/Total area (Sq. Km)

 

iv. Settlement distribution around mean center of different beel areas have been calculated on the basis of different circles with different radius from the mean center.

 

RESULT AND DISCUSSION:

Spatio-Temporal Pattern of Population Distribution and Density:

According to 2011 census the total population of Labpur block is 201212 with the density of 753.60 population / km2. Spatial pattern of population vary in different Panchayats due to the variation of different physical and socio-economic factors. It is interestingly noted that the decadal shrinkage of the wetlands generate huge fertile land of marshy soil which favours the extension of agricultural activities (K. Thangavel 2017, M. Balasubramanian 2015). Moreover, the seasonal fluctuation of the wetlands also supports the cultivation of pre monsoon crops over such plots. This factor may be considered as one of the major causes for high population growth rate in this wetland dominated block of Birbhum district. On the other hand, transportational network is also additional factor for such growth of population as well as settlement over this block.Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 reveals spatial texture of population density in different Panchayats of Labpur Block during 2001 and 2011. In Dwarka and HatiaPanchayat, where Panchpara and Laghosabeels exist, the population density is very high as these areas are rich with productive soil as well as high agricultural production and accessible transportation system connecting with main state highway. In Thiba and Jamna Panchayat, existence of Langolhatabeel and at Chow-Moho-II near Altore & Ptharghatabeel, population density varies from moderate to low due to less developed transportational network as well as frequent flood affected zone. Population density also low in Indus Panchayat, near Suruliabeel, due to extensive flood affected area of Kuya river basin. Relatively upland Labpur-II Panchayat has very high population density but the density is moderate at upland Chow-Moho-I due presence of infertile lateritic soil.

 

 

 

Fig. 2

 

 

Fig.3

 

Fig.4 depicts the changing pattern of population during last 10 years. Population has highly increased at Dwarka and Hatia and Labpur-I Panchayats, where Sankpur-Panchpara and Laghosaand Kadpurbeel are present because of high fertile land and advanced agricultural development as well as improvement of transportional network. But at Indus, Chow-moho-II, Thiba and JamnaPanchayat where Surulia, Altore, Patharghata and Langolhata beels exists, the increasing rate of population is slow as these areas are flood affected in almost every year. Upland area like Chow-Moho-I and Labpur-II Panchayat, the rate of increasing population during last 10 years is high due to less flood effectiveness as well as higher infrastructural development. During field survey it is observed that near to the intensed flood affected area of Langolhata, Altore, Patharghatabeel, the people have tendency to migrate other parts of the distirct/state for jobs. On the other hand, near to the Panchpara, Laghosa construction of embankment protect the area from long stretch of inundation so the people have settle their permanent houses based on local agro economic set up.

 

 

 

 

 

 


Table :1 Temporal Pattern of Population Density and Distribution

Name of the Panchayat

Area (km2)

Wetlands present

Census 2001

Census 2011

Population

Density (No. of persons/Km2)

Population

Density (No. of persons/Km2)

Labpur I

20

 Laghatabeel, Kadpurbeel

 11,989

599.45

14738

736.9

Labpur II

19.63

 Non-wetland area

 16,374

834.13

18488

941.82

Hatia

25.09

 Laghosabeel

 21,209

845.31

24213

965.04

Thiba

23.02

 Langolhatabeel

 16,003

695.17

17435

757.38

Jamna

21.29

 Langolhatabeel, Belbunibeel

 12,997

610.47

14618

686.61

Kurunnahar

26.53

 Fringe of the Langolhatabeel

 16,868

635.81

18999

716.13

Dwarka

25.73

 Sankpur-Panchparabeel

 22,606

878.58

26274

1021.14

Biprutikuri

26.51

 Talbonabeel

 16,473

621.38

18512

698.3

Indus

27.76

Suruliabeel

 14,160

510.08

15403

554.86

Chow -Moho-II

21.87

 Altore, Patharghatabeel

 7,981

364.92

9291

424.82

Chow-Moho-I

28.58

 Non-wetland area

 20,205

706.96

24417

854.33

Data source: District Census Handbook,2001 and 2011

 


 

Fig.4

 

Decadal Population Growth:

Population growth is the change of population in a point of time at certain region (Hassan, 2005). Population growth is determined by fertility, mortality and migration. In Birbhum district the decadal growth of population during 2001-2011 is 16.15%, in respect to the district the population growth in Labpur block is 14.23%. This indicates the growth of population in Labpur block is less than district average. For the study of population growth 60year population data (1951-2011) have been taken into consideration. Fig. 5 depicts that since 1951 the growth of population shows positive trend. Maximum growth rate is observed between 1951 to 1961 because during this period the block had not any experience of great natural calamity except a flood of 1956, moreover due to introduction of government level public health measures for the eradication of malariadeath has reduced rate between 1951 and 1961 (Majumdar,1975). After 1961 growth rates began to decline due to the implication of birth control measures.

 

 

Fig. 5

 

Table 2: Decadal Growth of Population

Year

Decadal growth

1951 - 1961

+0.35

1961 - 1971

+0.25

1971 - 1981

+0.13

1981-1991

+0.15

1991 - 2001

+0.16

2001 - 2011

+0.14

Data Source: Census of India

 

During 2001 to 2011 near to the beel areas like Altore, Panchpara, Surulia and Langolhata growth rate is very low which ranges from 8% to 16%. The villagers have faced huge loss in agricultural production in almost every year due to flood. So, they are used to migrate to the towns to get substitute sources of income rather than agriculture. Consistency prevails in the growth rate of Dwarka and Hatia panchayatdue to good agricultural status. On the other hand, at Chow-moho-I panchayat population growth is at quite high rate because this region is free from flood eventsfor its elevated character. Labpur-I block has high growth rate because this block is facilited by various urban infrastructures as Headquarter and Labpur is the major nodal transport town and well served by rail and road transport network. In 2001 census Labpur is considered as Census town. So, the growth is highest over here as people of surrounding region immigrate to this block for availing urban facilities.


Table 3: Gram Panchayat wise Population Growth

Name of the Panchayet

Wetlands present

1951-61

1961-71

1971-81

1981-91

1991-01

2001-11

Chow-Moho-II

Altore, Patharghatabeel

0.24

0.32

0.10

0.33

0.16

0.21

Chow-Moho-I

No wetlands

0.27

0.21

0.07

0.13

0.12

0.16

Biprutikuri

Talbonabeel

0.25

0.17

0.10

0.09

0.15

0.12

Indus

Suruliabeel

0.30

0.18

0.13

0.16

0.12

0.08

Labpur-I

Kadpur, Laghosabeel

0.26

0.19

0.21

0.17

0.21

0.22

Labpur-II

No wetlands

0.27

0.15

0.18

0.21

0.15

0.12

Thiba

Langolhatabeel

0.22

0.15

0.19

0.12

0.18

0.08

Jamna

Langolhata, Belbunibeel

0.27

0.18

0.14

0.16

0.12

0.12

Kurunnahar

Fringe of the Langolhatabeel

0.29

0.29

0.18

0.09

0.15

0.13

Dwarka

Sankpur-Panchparabeel

0.26

0.18

0.14

0.19

0.15

0.14

Hatia

Laghosabeel

0.22

0.19

0.08

0.17

0.14

0.14

DataSource: Census of India

 


 

Fig.6

 

Spatio-Temporal Pattern of Household Density:

Likewise population density, household density also guided by the hydrological nature of wetland. Fig. 7 and 8 reveal that the household density is comparatively lesser near to the prominent wetlands (Dhinesh Kumar Sanggaya et al.2015) It can be identified from the temporal pattern of household density that low density prevails over Langolhata, Altore, Parharghata, Laghata and Kadpurbeel region because of its intensive flood character. But in Laghosa, Sankpur-Panchparabeel area construction of embankment resists flood and accept high household density.

 

 

Fig.7

 

 

Fig. 8

Settlement Pattern:

According to United Nations’ Vancouver Declaration on human settlement (1976), “human settlement means the totality of human community- whether city, town or village- with all social, material, organizational, spiritual and cultural elements that sustains it”. Settlement

 

Study of settlement pattern in the wetlands area is an important parameter because there is vice-versa impact between wetlands and settlement. During the present era of population explosion and expansion of settlement engulf the areas of wetlands around the world (Ress and Reed, 2013). On the other hand, in the flood plain area floods influence the morphological characteristics of the settlements (Nchito, 2007). So, the major concern of this article is to study the settlement morphology in relation to wetland’s surface hydrology of Labpur block.

 

Settlement Distribution and Density:

Labpur Block has 161 villages in total. Mostly clustered settlement is found in the Labpur census town due to the presence of all administrative, transport communication and educational facilities. Another clustered settlement is noticed over the fertile agricultural lands of Dwarka and Hatiapanchayat. But the settlements are dispersed surrounding the wetland region due to frequent flood and long time water stagnation. Moreover settlements of this region are mostly located at the marginal part of the wetlands which is relatively higher, an example of such type of settlement distribution plan of Langolhata beel has shown in Fig. 9.

 

 

Data source: Satellite imagery, 2013

Fig. 9

 

Same result of the analysis has also depicted in settlement density map (Fig 10) where low density prevails over Langolhata, Sankpur-Panchparabeel area. Moderate settlement density zone extends over the fertile alluvial rich flood plain zone. Though the people are facing economic loss during flood year but try to compensate the loss from the bumper post monsoon production from this nutrient rich alluvial soil (Krishna Mohan et al. 2011).

 

Chow-moho-I and Labpur-I panchayat have very high settlement density due to presence of administrative facilities and good transport network.

 

 

Data source: Satellite Imagery,2013

Fig. 10

 

Settlement Dispersion Analysis:

Settlement dispersion analysis indicates the relative distance of settlement from one another (Sarkar, 2013). Wetland as a natural component has a great impact upon the pattern of settlement dispersion. Fig. 11 reveals that northern part of the Langolhatabeel represents the Rn value of 1.06 which indicates the tendency of settlement pattern towards the regularity but the southern part of the beel area represents with very close to random pattern due to waterlogged condition in the beel as well as frequent flood over this region. The beels like Laghosa, Altore, Patharghata, Talbona have the tendency of settlement pattern is towards regular. Presence of wetlands and every year flood are responsible for such kind of settlement pattern (Mandal, 1979). The upland areas like Chow-moho-I and Labpur-II panchayat have also thetendency towards regular settlement pattern due to the presence of infertile lateritic soil.

 

 

Data source: Satellite Imagery, 2013

Fig. 11

 

There is negative relationship between nearest Neighbor of settlement and settlement frequency. With the increasing of Rn value or regular pattern, settlement frequency is going to be decreased and vice versa (Fig 12). The physical barriers like presence of wetlands, frequent flood events, presence of infertile lateritic soil are the major controlling factors for set up the relationship between settlement dispersion and settlement frequency. Almost in all Panchayats of the Labpur block have the tendency towards the regular pattern especially in the wetlands area and flood prone region, where the settlement frequency is less.

 

Table 4: Relationship between Settlement Dispersion and Settlement Frequency

Name of the Panchayat

NNA

Settlement frequency

r

Hatia

1.45

0.43

 

 

 

-0.37

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chow-Moho-I

1.39

0.59

Chow-Moho-II

1.32

0.59

Biprutikuri

1.34

0.64

Indus

1.44

0.82

Labpur-II

1.25

0.56

Labpur-I

1.03

0.7

Dwarka

0.93

0.62

Kurunnahar

1.06

0.60

Thiba

1.06

0.61

Jamna

0.95

1.03

Data source: Toposheet SOI and Satellite Imagery

 

 

Fig. 12

 

Settlement Gravity Center Analysis:

The central location of a point distribution can be determined by spatial statistical method (Gelfand et. al.,2010). Mean point is spatial statistical methods to analyze the nature of distribution (Chandana, 1986) of settlement. Mean point or the gravity point of the block is located near the Labpur census town due to its central location in terms of administration, transport and communication and educational center (Fig. 13). On the basis of the shifting of the gravity point of the settlements, following two inferences can be drawn.

 

i. In the beel areas like Langolhata, Sankpur-Panchpara, Kadpur, Laghosabeel, the tendency of the location of mean center is towards the core of the beel area from the fringe land from 1921 to 2011. Shrinkage of wetlands and extension of agricultural land are responsible for such kind of shifting.

 

ii. In the beel areas like Altore and Patharghata, frequent flooding tendency is responsible for the shifting of settlement from the river side towards the upland area.

 

 

Data source: Toposheet SOI and Satellite imagery

Fig. 13

 

Mean Center Circle Analysis of the Beel Areas:

Occurrences of settlement around the wetlands in a definite interval of distance from the mean center help to understand the impact of wetlands over the settlement distribution. For this analysis two seasonal wetlands i.e. Langolhata beel and Patharghata beel have been taken into consideration because these two wetlands have the strong hydrological influence over the settlement pattern in comparison to other beel areas. Numbers of settlements have been counted from four sectors of the equal distances from the center.

 

Table 5: Settlement Frequency around Mean Center in Langolhata Beel

Distance from mean center (Km)

Frequency of settlement

% of Settlement

0-1.25

0

0

1.25-2.5

7

17.5

2.5-3.75

21

52.5

3.75-5

12

30

Data source: Toposheet 1921-22 and Satellite Imagery 2012-13

 

Table 5 reveals that within range of 0-1.25 km distance there is no settlement in the Langolhatabeelas the center part has long stretch of waterlogging condition. Gradually the number of settlement are increasing outward from the midpoint, within 2.5-3.75 km distance, the settlement frequency is maximum due to extensive agricultural activities by utilizing the fertile wetland soil. So, the numbers of settlements are again declining further away from this range.

 

Table 6: Settlement Frequency around Mean Center in PatharghataBeel

Distance from mean center (km)

Frequency of settlement

% of Settlement

0-1.25

6

30

1.25-2.5

9

45

2.5-3.75

5

25

Data source: Toposheet 1921-22 and Satellite Imagery 2012-13

 

Table 6 indicates direct encroachment of the settlement within the core part of the beel which covers 30% of the total settlement. The settlement area has extended upto 2.5 Km and 45% out of total settlement remains within 1.25 to 2.5 Km range. Again there is a decreasing trend of settlement far from center of the wetlands.

 

CONCLUSION:

In the present day context, Man and nature relationship is facing an awful situation due to dominancy of man over nature. In this point of view wetlands, as natural resource are under the grip of economic man. Swelling up of water during monsoon season, concentration of major rivers and their tributaries are the common and natural phenomena of the floodplain wetlands, but it seems to be pinching problems to the wetland dwellers. This sort of their thinking reveals the fact that there is a vivid gap between perception of wetland dwellers about the wetlands and the importance of the wetlands. This gap is the result of ignorance of socio-economic evaluation of wetlands.

 

Wetlands have been facing different problems like agricultural invasion, increase of population growth, fragmentation, settlement encroachment etc. So, well organized scientific analysis on hydrological behaviour and assessment of potentialities and services of wetland is essential for healthy growth of the society and individuals. Proper implementation of wetland policy, economic prioritization using ecological resources involving local community may be good steps toward wetland conservation and economic regeneration.

 

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Received on 14.01.2019         Modified on 23.01.2019

Accepted on 02.02.2019      ©AandV Publications All right reserved

Res.  J. Humanities and Social Sciences. 2019; 10(1):97-104.

DOI: 10.5958/2321-5828.2019.00017.2