Key words: Encroachment, Guwahati city, Population pressure, Forest degradation, GIS. www. ijirssc.in Page 84

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1 Population Growth and Forest Degradation in Guwahati City: A GIS Based Approach 1 Rinku Manta, 2 Dhrubajyoti Rajbangshi 1 Research Scholar, Geography Department, Gauhati University, Assam,India 2 Assistant Professor, Guwahati College, Guwahati-21, Assam, India ABSTRACT : Being the prime city in the north eastern part of India, the pressure of population growth in the Guwahati city is very high compared to other cities of developing nations. In last few decades, due to ever increasing anthropogenic activities, the city is facing many geo-ecological problems. Naturally the physiographic conditions have cumulative effect on the growth and distribution of population and settlement pattern. This city has been characterized by a complex pattern of human habitation of as many as 809,895 populations within 216 sq. km. geographical area in The physiography of the area is not plain one and 20 numbers of small and big hillocks are found covered with forest which has great impact on keeping the city pollution free environment with healthy ecological balance. Among these hillocks 9 are identified as a reserve forest. Due to population pressure large number of encroachment and deforestation has been seen, resulting squeezes the area of the hillocks. The study is based on primary and secondary data collected from different sources. The collected data are analyzed through GIS software to find the output explicitly. Therefore, an attempt has been made in this paper to analyze the population pressure, changing forest dynamics and its related phenomena and encroachment pattern in the study area. These problem leads to rapid deforestation, shrinking of wetlands, flash flood and some environmental problems respectively. Some areas of the city are considered as a heavy encroachment area, out of which the Hengerabari is the most significant one and Chandmari, Tarun Nagar and Nabin Nagar etc. are identified as flash flood prone area. Key words: Encroachment, Guwahati city, Population pressure, Forest degradation, GIS. I.Introduction: The equality of the environment is constantly loosing its status due to increase in population growth in most countries of world [2] affirm that population has been a chief agent of environmental degradation in most cities of the world. He further explain that man main occupation s were hunting and gathering of fruits but later as human population increased, man invented new techniques which has constitute great menace to the natural environment. Enger and Smith (2006) supported Gabriel (1999) idea and state that as population continue to increase it will become more difficult to limit the environmental degradation that accompany it. Out of the total forest cover in India, approximately a quarter of forest cover is found in northeast India with 637,293 km2 within reserved, protected and unclassified forests. Hence, northeast part of India, comprising of seven states namely, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura, is regarded as one of the global biodiversity centers and a hotspot [7] with climate ranging from typical tropical to sub-alpine type [8]. This region has some of the largest reserves of tropical and sub-tropical forests of wet evergreen, semi- evergreen, moist deciduous, coniferous forests, mixed forest and shrubland [1]. Page 84

2 In this region of northeast India, land-use change and modification of the forest to other land use such as agriculture have been increasing and extensively practiced in the past decades. Extensive agricultural practice through shifting cultivation locally called Jhum over the past decades have led to the deforestation of the rich diversity tropical forest of the region. The massive deforestation in the region highlights a combination of different drivers primarily shifting cultivation, increasing human population and increasing demands for agricultural land [6]. Guwahati being an important city in the north-eastern region has witnessed fast population growth in the recent years, also experiencing environmental problems The situation of population in the study area has not only degraded the forest ecosystem but has caused the environment to lose its natural equilibrium at the same time has exert more pressure on the natural resources. Beside, population growth in the region have lead to increasing environmental problems such as loss of plant and animal species, pollution, air population, soil infertility among others. The paper tends to critically examine the impact of population growth on forest degradation [4]. II. Study Area: Guwahati city, the capital of Assam is located on the south bank of river Brahmaputra towards the south eastern side of Kamrup district. The absolute location of the city extends from / E to / E longitude and from / N to / N latitude. Fig-1 Page 85

3 In the northern side, the city is bounded by mighty river Brahmaputra and in the southern side; the city is surrounded by hillocks which is the extension of Khasi hills. In the west and the south west there is the Rani Reserve Forest, Deepar Beel wet land and the alluvial tracts of the Brahmaputra plain. The city is situated on an undulating plain with varying altitudes of 49.5 m to 55.5 m above mean sea level. The topography of the city is made up of both high land and low land. At present the city municipal corporation area consists of 60 wards[5]. III. Objectives of the Study: The Objectives of the study are to- 1. Study the population growth and distribution of the study area. 2. Study the impact of population pressure on forest cover. IV. Methodology : The study was based on both primary and secondary information. The primary data were mainly the observation method and data collected randomly from the field by adopting interview method. The secondary data were collected from Census of India, Assam Remote Sensing Application Centre, Guwahati Municipal Corporation Office and many other government office, agencies, institutions. Map work has been done with the help of Geographical Information System software, as it helps to bring out the information explicitly. The conclusions of the study have been drawn on the basis of findings derived from the analysis of both primary and secondary data and also from personal observations in the field. V. Result and Discussion : Population Growth and Distributional Pattern: Guwahati is the business hub and largest city of Assam and North East. It is also the biggest commercial, industrial, educational and health centre of the region. For Look East Policy of Govt. of India, emerging importance of Guwahati will be phenomenal. For all these reasons there is a tremendous pressure of population in Guwahati city. The population distributional pattern in Guwahati is not even. The undulating surface, rapid growth of population, different types of socio-economic activities is impact on distribution pattern of population. According to the 2001 census population in Guwahati was 8, 09,895 against the total population of 2, 66, 55,528 in our state, which is 3.19 percent of total population. The geographical area of Guwahati is 216 square kilometer against the total area of 78,438 km of our state which is only 0.28 percent of total geographical area. This scanty geographical area has to support 3.9 percent of total population of our state. The density of population in Guwahtai is 579 persons per sq.km against the average density of 340 persons per sq.km in our state. Page 86

4 Fig-2: Density of Population and household of Guwahati. The density of population of different wards of the city displays a comparatively lower density of population at the peripheral wards as compared to that of the old inner areas. It is observed that a pocket found in south western parts in the city comprising wards 2,10,12,13,16,17 encompassing Padumbari, Near Pragjyotish college,lalgansh, Kahilipara,Lalmati, Saukuchi,Lokhora Chariali, Narangi, Satgaon, Panjabari and other peripheri area in the city have the lowest density of population. The highest density of population is found in Ward No. 14, 28,29,32,44 and 45 that covers Fancy Bazar, Kadar Road, H.B. Road and T.R. Phukan Road. Etc. In the sample survey the distribution of population have seen differ than the census data. The occupancy rate in sample survey is higher than the census data. It is due to the migration of population in different causes from time to time. It affect on the population distribution. As increased in the rapid land value and shortage of land comparatively people need, many people are settled in the periphery area. But it is noticed that to fulfill the demand of people and lack of area the new development has become vertically and distribution and density is higher than before. This situation has seen mainly in the central region where all civic amenities are available. But with the passes of time the scenario is changing day by day and distribution pattern become more completed. Fig-3: Road map of Guwahati Again, urban population in Assam is percent, which is 33,90,583 of total population of Guwahati with total urban population in our state, then we find that Guwahati Page 87

5 shares 25 percent of total urban population. On the other hand, no other cities like Nagaon, Jorhat, and Dibrugarh etc. touch 1.5 lakh population marks as per the 2001 census. This is the demographic picture of the Guwahati. The emergence of modern Guwahati is said to have started in 1826 following the departure of the Burmese and the Treaty of Yandaboo. In 1828, Lower Assam was formally annexed and Guwahati made the Head Quarters of the British Chief Commissioner of Assam till 1874 when the capital of the separate state of Assam was established at Shillong, 103 km south of Guwahati at Khasi and Jayantia hills. With such a modest beginning, the city grew in its size and in 1972, after the reorganization of the Assam state, the capital was shifted from Shillong to Dispur (Guwahati), whereby the city gained enough political importance. Since then the city has grown enormously in terms of population and development of commercial activities. Guwahati is a fast growing metropolis and the most important city of the region, with a population of 8.9 Lakhs [3]. Table No.1: Growth profile of Guwahati in relation to urban growth in Assam. Year Population(000) Gender Ratio Decadal Share (%) in urban population Growth Fig-4: Decadal growth of population of Guwahati, Page 88

6 In 1901 the population was In 1921, the rate of population increase was percent (12481 to 16480). The rate of increase for next decade (1931) was also the same that means percent (217970). The significant development during the British period was the establishment of the cantonment at Paltan bazaar, opening new lines of transport and communication and improvement of old ones within the town which were added to the city. During the decade , the city recorded an increase of population of percent i.e. from (1931) to (1941) from 1951 to 1961 the population increase was significantly, from 43615(1951) to 10072(1961). Population is a pre requisite for development. But excessive increase of population becomes a problem to a city, state or country. Guwahati city is in a state of over population, increasing growth of population in Guwahati is not due to natural factors like very high birth rate and low death rate. The main factor behind is, migration, the differences in income and employment opportunities in the villages and Guwahati have attracted the migrants to the city. Higher income and greater employment opportunities in Guwahati lead to movements of population from rural areas to the city. In addition, the educational, health and other infrastructural facilities in the city areas and its urban way of life also attract migrants. Rapid increase in the population results in an increasing demand for land in urban settlements. A city grows not only by population but also by changes in spatial dimensions. The prime factors of increasing spatial dimension of the city are also the population growth and related requirements of urban life, such as development of transport and communication and others infrastructure facilities. Within the existing built-up areas of cities uncontrolled growth of population and inadequate infrastructure may cause irreversible losses of forest resources and open space. Impact of Population Growth on Forest Cover The recorded forest area of Assam is 26,832 km 2 which is 34 percent of the total geographical area. According to legal status the state of Assam, Reserved forests constitute percent and unclassed forests, percent of the total forest area. Geographically, the Guwahati city is surrounded by hills leaving only the central plain area for urbanization. Therefore, the plain area is mostly occupied by built up land including residential area. Out of the total built up land, which is 34.60%of the total area of the city, residential area has occupied the highest area (25.15%). Most of the hills in the city though declared forest area, but encroached due to pressure on land for residential purpose. Large areas under open forests (8.30%) compared to closed forests (5.30%) indicates conversion of forests land area to other purpose. Page 89

7 Fig 5: Map of Assam showing distribution of Forest cover, 2005 Fig 6: Forest Cover of Assam Existing Status of Reserved Forest in Guwahati city. There are seven reserve forests within Guwahati Municipality Area with about 2,641 hectares area. Major part of the forest area is encroached. Page 90

8 Table No. 2: List of the Reserved Forest in Guwahati Sl.no. Name of the Area Encroached Percent 1 South Kalapahar Fatasil RF Jalukbari RF Gota Nagar Hengrabari RF Sarania Khanapara RF (Partly) Total Source: Divisional Forest Officer, Kamrup East Division Out of the total geographical area of Kamrup district i.e km 2, only 32.89% (1429 sq. km) area is covered by forest out of which 899 sq.km, 530 sq. km and 52 sq. km is covered by dense, open and scrub forest respectively as per the Forest Survey of India Report, The root cause of low forest covered area of the district in general and Guwahati in particular is the rapid growth of human population, urbanization and industrialization. Guwahati is surrounded by 12 reserved forests with a total area of about 261 sq.km. These forests, mostly on hills and hillocks, are home of many animals and birds. However, because of deforestation in the hills, the area under forest is shrinking resulting in soil erosion. The construction on the hills in Guwahati has resulted in removal of vegetation cover in the forest area and exposed surface. The soil loss is more on the exposed slopes then the vegetation covered slopes. The average rate of soil loss in Guwahati on the exposed slopes in the rainy hours of mm, intensity is g per liter of surface flow. This amount is very insignificant as on the vegetation covered slope which is only g per liter of surface flow. The problem of soil erosion in the study area is significant not only from the view point of loss of soil fertility but also from the many environmental issues like water logging, flashflood, siltation, decrease in the ground water table and the dusty environment on sunny days. The other aspects associated with the soil erosion are: The hills of the city are more prone to soil erosion by rain due to geomorphological structure and texture of the top soil layers. Heavy monsoon rainfall with dry and wet spell also accerate the rate of soil erosion. Growth of settlement on the hill slopes disturbes the slope stability and accelerate the rate of soil erosion. Table 3: Impact of population growth on forest cover in Guwahati City Landuse category Area in sqkm. Percent to total area 1990 Area in sqkm. Percent to total area 2002 Area in sqkm. Percent to total area 2004 Area in sqkm. Percent to total area 1.Built up Page 91

9 2.Agriculture land 3.Forests wasteland water bodies Total area Source: ARSAC 2000 Fig 7: Landuse map of Guwahati City Source: ASTEC, Guwahati Fig 8: Landuse of Guwahati City 2004 Page 92

10 The study reveal that highest area under built up land in 1990 was 34.64%, which increases to 45.46% in 2004, regarding agricultural land it was 12.50% in 1990 in 2004 it comes to 9.82%, followed by forests 13.60% in 1990 in 2004 it is 9.04%, wastelands15.52% in 1990 and 12.53% in 2004, water bodies was 23.45% which has decreases to This indicates urban scenario of Guwahati city. VI. Conclusion: It was observed that forest resources in Guwahati city and its surrounding areas are under a serious depletion due to population growth and human encroachment in the forest ecosystem. Demo-graphic factors have adversely affected natural resources throughout the colonial and postcolonial history of Assam and continue to be a dominant cause of deforestation in the region. In a landscape where agriculture production is risky and employment opportunities limited, growing populations will always remain a potent force of destruction. Promotion of non-extractive industries, those that are not based on the region s natural resources, will certainly be able to improve the livelihoods of certain sections of the local population and, at the same time, release pressure on natural resources. Rural development programmes like the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) would be useful such demographic and socio-economic pressures away from threatened natural resources. Protected areas and inviolate forests are critical for the conservation of regional biodiversity while many of these tracts have historically supported the livelihoods of local human populations. To find ways and mechanisms that conserve our threatened biodiversity but also protect the livelihoods and aspirations of these people so as to make our forests ecologically and socially sustainable is the biggest challenge for the conservation of last remaining forest of the study region. Reference: [1] Bez,K.(2001): Emperical evidence of Transport Problems in Guwahati City in Alam K. das, N.C., and Borah,A.K. (eds), Guwahati The Gateway to the East, Concept Publishing Company, New Delhi. [2] Bhattacharyya, N.N., (1981): Morphology of the Towns of Assam with Special Reference to the City of Gauhati (An Analytico-Synthetic Study), Mani Manik Press, Gauhati. [3] Census Of India, (2001): B Series City Tables, C D ROM. [4] Gogoi, L.(2011): Population Pressure and Flash Flood Disaster and Management in Guwahati City, Organizing Committee, Dhing College, Nagaon. [5] Gogoi,B. (2007): Social Problems of Urban poor in Guwahati City : A Geographical analysis., an unpublished Ph.D.Thesis,Gauhati University. [6] Lele, N. and Joshi, P. K Analyzing deforestation rates, spatial forest cover changes and identifying critical areas of forest cover changes in North-East India during Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 156: [7] Myers, N., Mittermeier, R. A., Mittermeier, C. G., de Fonseca, G. A. B. and Kent, J Biodiversity hotspots for conservation priorities. _ature 403, DOI / [8] Roy, P. S. and Joshi, P. K Forest cover assessment in north-east India- the potential of temporal wide swath satellite sensor data (IRS-1C WiFS). International Journal of Remote Sensing 23: Page 93