Department of Geography & Applied Geography

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://ir.nbu.ac.in/handle/123456789/115

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Open Access
A study on socio economic conditions of women beedi workers in Tufanganj Subdivision of Koch Bihar District, West Bengal
(University of North Bengal, 2023) Karmakar, Sangita; Roy, Ranjan
Introduction Beedi industry is predominantly an unorganised sector in India. A large number of people belonging to poor socio-economic backgrounds have chosen beedi rolling as their occupation to support their families. In our country women make up nearly 90 percent of total employment in beedi industry. Thus the beedi industry has helped them to escape from the vicious cycle of poverty. But the contractual nature of employment, low wage rate and involvement of middlemen has made the industry more vulnerable. Women and children engaged in beedi industry face abuse, financial discrimination and health hazards. Workers involved in beedi rolling activity are at a high risk of tuberculosis, asthma and others. However, at the time of job uncertainty, many people don‟t consider these health hazards when making decisions about their livelihood. Therefore, it is necessary to identify the socio-economic factors which are responsible for the backwardness of such workers engaged in beedi industry. This thesis intends to focus on the livelihood status of women beedi workers in Tufanganj Subdivision of Koch Bihar district. Koch Bihar is a socio-economically backward district in West Bengal and predominantly an agricultural district. This study mainly concentrates on the social, economic and health condition of the women beedi workers in Tufanganj Subdivision as Tufanganj Subdivision is a special economic zone (SEZ) of beedi industry in Koch Bihar district. Objectives The main objectives of the study are: 1. To assess the socio-economic conditions of women beedi workers in Tufanganj Subdivision. 2. To assess the impact of beedi rolling on health condition of women beedi workers in the study area. 3. To evaluate the implementation status of legal provisions and schemes for the welfare of women beedi workers. 4. To find out their problems and suggest remedial measures for the upliftment of socio - economic status of women beedi workers. Hypothesis To fulfill the objectives following hypothesis have been taken: 1. Educational level of female beedi worker plays a key role in determining her number of child birth. 2. Level of income of women beedi worker has significant impact on family decision- making. 3. The health condition of women beedi workers is associated with hours of beedi rolling. Methodology This study is based on both primary and secondary data which are further analysed with the help of appropriate statistical tools and techniques. Tufanganj Subdivision has been selected as the study area and particularly women beedi workers were selected for the study as they are the best representative of the entire beedi worker community. A total number of 560 respondents were selected from various parts of Tufanganj Subdivision. Both rural and urban beedi workers were selected for the study to show the degree of deprivation of basic socio- economic opportunities among them. Findings Study has revealed that the socio-economic status of women beedi workers in both rural and urban areas is very low. Women engage themselves in beedi rolling at an early age. Workers below 20 years age and more than 60 years of age both have been found higher in rural areas than urban areas. It indicates that the rural young women are more vulnerable to engage in beedi rolling activity than urban women. Further, the literacy rate is very less among the women beedi workers in the study area and it has been discovered that in rural areas higher educated women have also opted beedi rolling as their occupation due to absence of alternate job opportunities. The quality of the dwelling places shows their poor economic condition. Only 5.71 percent households monthly income exceeds >15000 as most of the households do not have any fixed income. Even to insure their everyday expenses, the majority of households are in debt. Therefore, it is revealed that the beedi workers' poor financial situation has a negative impact on their standard of living in the study area. The piece rate system compels them to roll beedi for the entire day. Study shows that 43.57 percent workers are engaged in beedi rolling for 8 to 10 hours, in a single day. Workers are also deprived of getting wage rates as per government prescribed rate and only 20.54 percent have reported a wage rate of more than 150/-. The contractual nature of employment has made their monthly income more vulnerable as it is totally controlled by the middleman. Study has also revealed that both rural and urban beedi worker households have moderate income inequality and rural households have a little bit higher income inequality than urban households. The main reason behind this may be the intensity and incidence of poverty among beedi workers in rural areas is higher than in urban areas. Livelihood security index also shows that beedi workers from both the rural (0.3864) and urban areas (0.4686) are less secure in terms of livelihood conditions and rural beedi workers are facing an extremely insecure livelihood status. Particularly, economic security is highly vulnerable situation in rural areas. Study has also revealed that beedi workers suffer from various health issues due to direct inhalation of tobacco and sitting in the same posture for long hours. Study has found that various types of respiratory and musculoskeletal problems are very much common among the respondents and severity of health hazards is higher in case of higher age, heavy workload and long years of beedi rolling. Various welfare programmes for beedi workers have been introduced by the state and central government but the utilization of these schemes is very minimal. Majority of the home based beedi workers are deprived of government welfare schemes because the employers consider them as self-employed as they work from their home. It indicates the existence of a wide gap between the policies for their development and their implementation. The level of awareness among beedi workers about various schemes is poor in the study area. 52.50 percent women workers were moderately aware of only the provisions of health under Beedi Worker Welfare Scheme. Study found that the workers with higher level of literacy and media exposure are comparatively more aware of various government welfare programs allotted for them. Exploitation by middlemen, inadequate supply of raw material, unhealthy working conditions, irregularities of wage payment, problems to access identity cards and heavy workload have been identified as major problems faced by women beedi workers in the study area. So, it can be said that mere development plans and policies are not sufficient for the development of such vulnerable people; rather emphasis should be given on their proper implementation.
Open Access
A study on the impact of environmental degradation on river behaviour in jaldhakaduduya watershed, jalpaiguri district, West Bengal
(University of North Bengal, 2023) Sarkar, Sriparna; Sarkar, Subir
A watershed or a drainage basin consists of a main or trunk river, with several tributary river channels, both perennial and non-perennial, converging with the trunk river and spreading both water and sediments throughout the area covered by the entire network of channels. Movement of water and sediments, controlled by several geologic, physiographic, meteorological and anthropological factors may be affected by alterations in any of these factors, affecting thus, the entire fluvial dynamics of the watershed itself. This applies especially to watersheds located in areas, having a propensity to delicate ecological balance. Watersheds located between physical units with different structural and physiographic characteristics, or threshold regions are marked by more frail ecological balance, having long term effects on economy and livelihood of an entire region. The Jaldhaka- Duduya Watershed situated at the heart of the Eastern Himalayan Foothills known as Duars or Dooars, covering parts of Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar districts of West Bengal, India provides a typical example of such an area. Interaction of physical and anthropogenic factors leading to land degradation, riverbank erosion and soil erosion, causing hardships for the agro- based economy of the watershed. Qualitative and quantitative assessment of the problems through reconnaissance surveys, extensive field surveys were done to study the both the causes and effect of environmental degradation on river behavior within the selected study area.The Jaldhaka- Duduya watershed, is made up of two broad physiographic regions, which may be stated as micro- thresholds, located within a short longitudinal distance (<100km). These are the distal alluvial fan surface region of the northern plains in the north and the floodplain of Jaldhaka and Duduya in the south has marked differences in rainfall regime, soils and natural vegetation, clearly visible within relatively short distance from the mountain front, which marks the northern boundary. The piedmont terraces lying at the base of the mountain front marks the active alluvial fan surface. The Jaldhaka River, originating from the Lesser Himalayas of Sikkim, is the main river of Jaldhaka, while River Duduya originating from the piedmont terrace region lying at the base of Himalayan Foothills is the main river of the Duduya watershed. The northern part, constituted by quaternary deposits of various sizes forms the entire piedmont and the escarpments bordering them. The floodplain consists of mostly sandy soil, mixed with silt, with slight increase of clay at the extreme south. The Jaldhaka and its major tributaries flow through north-south trending faults and fault lineaments which were created due to neo-tectonic activities in Bhutanese Lesser Himalayan zone. The Rethi, which constitutes the Lesser Himalayan and the piedmont section of R. Duduya, also follows quaternary fault lineaments. Relief zones of the Jaldhaka- Duduya watershed show rapid change of elevation within small distances; a very small area in the extreme north in Sikkim with >4000m elevation from sea level, forming the source region of Jaldhaka. About 25% of the northern and north-eastern part of the watershed located in Bhutan’s territory, has 2500-1000m elevation from sea level, marking the source regions of the major tributaries of Jaldhaka, namely, Daina, Chamurchi and Rethi Rivers. More than 50% of the Jaldhaka- Duduya watershed has 50- 100m above sea level, forming the southern floodplain. The Jaldhaka- Duduya watershed experiences tropical warm and moist climate, receiving copious monsoon rainfall. High rainfall mostly occurs due to formation and stationing of the monsoon trough over the neighbouring Sikkim or Bhutan Himalayas, or from low pressure areas, which are created during the monsoon, bringing in heavy and clustered rainfall or causing rainstorms. Monsoon rainfall received at the northern part, situated at the base of the mountain front, is more than twice the monsoon rainfall received at the floodplain section in the south. Due to such variations of rainfall six rainfall zones may be found within a northsouth distance of 100 km and west-east distance of <50 km. High intensity rainfall received during rainstorms lead to flash floods in different parts of the Jaldhaka- Duduya watershed. Simple statistical techniques have been used to identify characteristics of rainfall within the watershed, for which both rainfall data collected by selected tea gardens and data collected from registered website of Indian Meteorological Department have been used . Parameters like seasonal and daily rainfall, average 24hour rainfall frequencies, maximum 24 hour rainfall have been used. Time series analysis of annual rainfall of some selected tea gardens of the area show little or no variation for the first decade (1923-1952), distinct rising trend during the second decade (1971- 2000) and finally, a clear decreasing trend for the third decade (2001-2019), which is further substantiated by calculation of standard deviation of decadal rainfall. Annual rainfall has decreased throughout the watershed, as proven by mean rainfall calculated for the post- 2000-s period. There is, thus, a change in rainfall pattern within the Jaldhaka- Duduya watershed; the prevailing change is increasing frequencies of rainstorms, occurring both in the piedmont and floodplain sections. Longitudinal profiles constructed for the Jaldhaka and the major rivers of the watershed reveal variations of relief and degree of concavity. Least square regressions were done to fit longitudinal profiles, showing elevation-distance data, which show concavity for all rivers and breaks of slope, indicating tectonic control, except Duduya, which originates from the piedmont terrace. The Streamlength Gradient Index (SLGI) developed by Hack was also used to calculate degree of structural control on the rivers, which indicate youthful stage for major rivers, except Duduya. Transects constructed across major rivers at selected sites and at selected time intervals, bring out preponderance of braiding activity in Jaldhaka, Daina and Rethi Rivers, with propensity of bank attrition and toe erosion, especially, following rainstorms or periods of clustered monsoon rainfall. Evidences of north- south shifting of the confluence of Jaldhaka and Daina is noted from satellite images and Google maps. Only River Duduya has a comparatively stable channel, with comparatively lower degree of bank erosion. Increased sedimentation within the channels of major rivers and their tributaries, specially rivers with source regions lying deep within the Bhutanese Lesser Himalayan zone causes increased braiding, accumulation of lag deposits within channels in the piedmont and alluvial fan sections, lying within Indian territory. This is found to occur due to unplanned mining activities, mainly within Bhutanese territory, gratuitous lifting of sand and gravel from beds of Daina and Rethi within Indian territory, resulting in steady raising of beds of both tributaries and the trunk river itself, increasing thus, the risk of floods, during periods of active or vigorous monsoon or during rainstorms. Rapid urbanization in and around the Jaldhaka- Duduya watershed, necessitating construction and refurbishment of communication network of the region, construction and extension of settlements and tea garden areas in upper catchment and source regions of rivers, have increased amount and frequencies of slope wash, slope failures and landslides, debris being transported downstream, choking smaller channels and further increasing sedimentation and braiding activities. All of these have led to fertile agricultural lands becoming flood- prone and barren for considerable periods. Thus, general land and environmental degradation throughout the watershed has set in, affecting the chiefly agrarian economy of the area. Hydrographs could, however, be constructed only for Jaldhaka, which is the main river of the watershed. It is observed, that, rainstorms lasting for two or three days at maximum, are capable of triggering peak discharge resulting in flood flows followed by a series of events, ranging from soil and riverbank erosion, or even avulsion, which decrease rapidly, almost immediately after rainfall decreases or stops altogether. Return period of floods with very high discharge has remained the same, but return period of floods with medium to moderately high discharge seems to be increasing during recent years. Risk of floods has increased during recent years due to environmental degradation, in spite of the changing rainfall pattern, that indicates somewhat decreased annual rainfall. Flooding and inundation have become annual phenomena, for bigger and smaller rivers alike. Popular measures of protection from floods, like construction of flood embankments have been successful, only initially. With increasing demand for regional development, need for improved transport and communication system, improved housing and certain amenities cannot be denied to local people. Sustainable development measures for regional development, with minimized effects of the delicate ecological balance are suggested for the Jaldhaka- Duduya watershed.
Open Access
Agricultural productivity and regional imbalances in Malda District, West Bengal
(University of North Bengal, 2004) Roy, Tanusree; Chakravarti, Pranab Kumar
Open Access
Application of geo-informatics in micro level development planning: a case study in Dhupguri block of Jalpaiguri district, West Bengal
(University of North Bengal, 2010) Rana, Shrabani; Sarkar, Subir
Open Access
Assessment of the level of rural development in Jalpaiguri District, West Bengal
(University of North Bengal, 2020) Das, Rituparna,; Lepcha Nee Lama, Indira
Open Access
Assessment of the level of urban development in Kurseong Municipality Darjeeling district, West Bengal
(University of North Bengal, 2018) Lepcha, Neelee kalyanee Chong; Lepcha (Nee) Lama, Indira
Open Access
Assessment of wetland resources in Malda district and its conservation for sustainable management
(University of North Bengal, 2019) Chattaraj, Diyali; Sarkar, Subir,
Open Access
Balason watershed : its management and development
(University of North Bengal, 2008) Paul, Somali; Jana, M M
Open Access
Bank erosion and associated problems in upper mahananda basin in Darjeeling district, West Bengal
(University of North Bengal, 2021) Sarkar, Pompi,; Mandal, D.K.
Open Access
Bank erosion of the river Ganga in between Rajmahal and Farakka
(University of North Bengal, 2012) Saha, Snehasish; Mandal, D K
Open Access
Causes and effects of flash flood in Alipurduar District, West Bengal
(University of North Bengal, 2023) Biswas, Sanjay; Mandal, D.K.
Throughout human history, hazards have been a recurring occurrence, and it is widely recognized that we cannot completely eliminate their existence. This is especially true for natural hazards, as they are beyond our control. However, while we may not be able to prevent these events from happening, we can take measures to mitigate their impact and prevent them from escalating into catastrophic disasters through efficient planning and preparedness. Among the multitude of disasters, flash floods stand out as particularly devastating on a global scale. These events have the potential to escalate rapidly and inflict widespread damage in a very short span of time. Flash floods have posed a significant threat to Alipurduar District, earning it the reputation of being a flash flood-prone area. This study provides an overview of the factors contributing to flash floods in the District, their impact on the local ecosystem and socio-economy, and potential measures to mitigate the damage caused by these natural disasters. The region's diverse topography directly influences the severity of flash floods, with the hilly areas and foothills in the north of Alipurduar District being particularly susceptible. The rivers originating from the Bhutan Himalayas play a crucial role in triggering sudden slope changes and heavy rainfall, carrying substantial amounts of water, sand, and stones through the District. When these rivers reach the foothill areas, they deposit excess materials, elevating the riverbeds and causing sporadic flash floods during the monsoon season. Human activities such as mining, quarrying, and deforestation further exacerbate the impact of flash floods, disrupting the natural balance and increasing the District's vulnerability. Over the past few decades, numerous flash flood incidents have occurred, predominantly affecting the foothill areas in the north of the District. This research aims to shed light on the causes of flash floods in Alipurduar District and explore potential mitigation methods. The study delves into the relationship between flash floods and heavy rainfall, drainage systems, topography, human influence, and the elevation of riverbeds. Additionally, the research highlights the extensive impact of flash floods on human and livestock casualties, river course alterations, water quality, ecosystems, cultivation, forests, tea gardens, and the socio-economic condition of the District. The thesis is divided into eight chapters. The introductory chapter (Chapter I) provides an overview of flash floods, the study area, research objectives, the database and methodology employed, statement of the problem, and the significance of the study. Chapter II offers a brief description of the physical and cultural characteristics of Alipurduar District, covering topography, geology, climate, natural vegetation, drainage systems, population resources, and tea gardens. Chapter III discusses the drainage system of Alipurduar District in detail. This chapter provides detailed information about several small rivers in the study area. Source, course details, total catchment area and total length of each river are determined. Basically, the detailed information about the rivers has been presented with the help of long term field observation experience and Google earth. In this chapter river bank erosion sites are identified through field observation and discussed through photographs. The morphological characteristics of the rivers in the study area are discussed in details. Morphological features like alluvial fan, braided channel, meander, ox-bow-lake, point bar, sand bar, river island etc. are identified and discussed. Finally, in this chapter, the channel transformation of various rivers is discussed in details. Chapter IV extensively explores the causes of flash floods in Alipurduar District, with a particular emphasis on rainfall data. Rainfall data for the last 30-35 years has been reviewed in detail by collecting data from CWC, Irrigation and Waterways Department, Tea Gardens and Govt. agricultural farms. Each flash flood that has occurred in the study area, is discussed with evidence by collecting newspaper cuttings. The causes and damages of flash floods of 1993, 1998, 2000, 2004, 2007, 2010, 2014 and 2017 are highlighted. A separate household survey was conducted to discuss the causes of the 1993 flash flood. Data regarding the date and years of flash flood was collected from the clock offices and the cause of flash flood was discussed. The relationship of rivers with slope is discussed to determine the extent to which topography is responsible for flash floods in Alipurduar District. Field observations and photographs were collected as evidence to determine the extent to which river projects and construction barriers were responsible for flash floods. The details of the quarrying of various rivers in the study area have been discussed. The impact of upper catchment area dolomite mining on flash floods is discussed. During the field observations various photographs were collected to know the impact of mining and quarrying activities on flash floods. Chapter V examines the nature of flash floods in Alipurduar District, including flash flood frequency, flash flood magnitude index, duration of flash floods, and a historical overview of flash flood events. The discussion of this chapter is mainly based on CWC’s discharge data, water level data and rainfall data. Recurrence Intervals of three major rivers (Torsa, Raidak-I, Raidak- II) of Alipurduar District are discussed to obtain information about the frequency of flash floods. Generally, the effect of flash flood is seen in the whole District mainly after 2-3 years. However, flash flood occurs every year in Ballalguri, Totopara, Jamtala, Bandapani, Jayanti, Mechpara, Radhrani, Chuapara, Hatipota etc. In the northern foothill areas of Alipurduar District, flash flood water mainly stays for 2-3 hours, but in the southern plains it stays for 12-36 hours. On the basis of flash flood susceptibility, Alipurduar District has been divided into four parts and discussed about them in details. Flash Flood Magnitude Index (FFMI) of Torsa, Raidak-I and Raidak-II Rivers have been determined through discharge data. From the information of the District Disaster Management Plan, it has been seen that in this District, Madarihat-Birpara, Kalchini and Kumargram block are the most flash flood prone. Data of Qmax and water level of 1993, 1998, 2000, 2007, 2010 and 2017 were reviewed to know the nature of flash flood in details. Chapter VI, considered the core of the research, focuses on the effects of flash floods in the District. In this chapter, a household survey was conducted on 860 households to know the various effects of flash flood in Alipurduar District. Based on that, it has been possible to bring out various information. Data on human life lost in 1993 was collected through CWC integrated data book, newspaper cuttings as well as household survey. The mainstay of Alipurduar District’s economy is the tea industry. Naturally, the effect of flash flood is more on the tea gardens. The effect of flash flood of last 30-35 years on tea plantations has been discussed through the data obtained from Dooars Branch Indian Tea Association (DBITA). Tea gardens affected by flash flood have been identified through field observations and maps have been made with the help of Google earth and ArcGIS software. Information about the effect of flash flood on forest has been collected and discussed through field survey. Photographs of tea gardens and forests affected by flash flood in different years were collected during direct field observation. Some secondary data regarding flash flood affected forests were collected from different secondary sources. The impact of flash floods on crop pattern change in the northern part of the study area is discussed in detail. Information on flash flood affected construction and property loss across the District has been presented. Photographs of flash flood affected constructions and properties have been collected through field observations. This chapter discussed the effect of flash floods on soil properties. The water of various rivers of Alipurduar District is being affected for dolomite mining and in-stream quarrying. Water samples have been collected and tested from different rivers to provide detailed information on this matter. The Water Quality Index (WQI) table is created based on the weighted Arithmetic Water Quality Index (WAWQI) method. To collect data on river bed rising in the study area, river bed elevation has been measured regularly in different rivers during Pre-monsoon and Post-Monsoon periods for the last 6-7 years. Data and photographs of river bank failure in different parts of the District due to the effect of flash flood have been collected and discussed. Field observation was done and photographs were collected to know about the river valley enlargement. River channel transformation due to flash floods is also discussed. Finally, this chapter briefly discusses the positive effects of flash floods. Chapter VII outlines proposed remedial measures for flash floods in the study area, identifying vulnerable zones and rivers, and suggesting strategies and measures to mitigate the effects of flash floods. In this chapter, the guidelines given by WHO regarding flash floods have been discussed in detail. During the field observation, it was observed that the presence of forest in the foothill regions of the northern part of Alipurduar District has been able to resist the intensity of flash floods to a great extent. Hence the importance of forest in flash flood prevention is discussed in detail with photographs. Uses of local available materials (Sand, boulder, bamboo, bad materials, etc.) also discussed with photographic evidences. Finally, Chapter VIII presents the major findings of the research and offers a comprehensive conclusion. Finally, this research contributes to understanding the causes and impacts of flash floods in Alipurduar District. It provides insights into the vulnerabilities of the region and proposes potential solutions to minimize the devastating effects of flash floods. By addressing the various aspects discussed in this study, stakeholders can work towards building a more resilient Alipurduar District in the face of flash flood events.
Open Access
Causes and effects of flood in koch bihar district, west bengal
(University of North Bengal, 2011) Shil Sharma, Sanjit Kumar; Mandal, D K
Open Access
Changes in agricultural land use scenario in Uttar Dinajpur District, West Bengal
(University of North Bengal, 2021) Sarkar, Goutam ,; Mandal, D.K,
Open Access
Changing agricultural pattern and its impact on land use in south district of Sikkim
(University of North Bengal, 2008) Sharma, B. Anil Kumar; Jana, M M
Open Access
Changing pattern in agriculture ; a case study of Koch Behar district
(University of North Bengal, 2009) Roy, Ranjan; Sarkar, Subir
Open Access
Comprehensive study on the problems of management of the Rakti Basin in the Darjeeling Himalaya
(University of North Bengal, 1993) Bhattacharya, Sudip Kumar; Basu, S R
Open Access
Cultural tourism in the Awadh region with special reference to Lucknow : a study in tourism & recreation geography
(University of North Bengal, 1992) Singh, Shalini; Bhattacharya, Bimalendu
Open Access
Demographic profile and changing occupational character and economic status of the Santals of Birbhum district
(University of North Bengal, 1992) Ghosh, Prasasti; Bhattacharya, B.
Open Access
Development of alluvial fans and their pedogeomorphic significance on the landuse in terai region, West Bengal, India
(University of North Bengal, 2018) Kar, Shuvankar; Bhattacharya, Sudip Kumar,
Open Access
Differentials in fertility by religion : a case study of Darjeeling district
(University of North Bengal, 2010) Md Anwaruzzaman, Abul Kalam; Sahu, Rangadhar