Divya Saini, Omvir: Drought Hazard, Vulnerability and Risk Assessment Over Rajasthan, India
This study assesses the drought affected areas of Rajasthan at annual and monsoon season (June-September) time scales by applying hazard (Drought Hazard Index), vulnerability (Drought Vulnerability Index) and risk (Drought Risk Index) indices. For the computation of these indices, secondary data pertaining to several physical and socio-economic indicators have been collected and utilized. The results have revealed that extreme drought hazard prevails in most of the northern, eastern and southern parts, of Rajasthan, whereas drought hazard is less severe in south-eastern and central parts of the state at both time scales. Similarly, more than 75 per cent area of Rajasthan has been found highly vulnerable to drought having maximum vulnerability in western, eastern, south-eastern and south-western parts. The area under drought risk has been found maximum under extreme drought category at annual (27 per cent) and monsoon season (36 per cent) time scales, spatially distributed in northern, eastern and southern parts of the state. The outcomes of this study can be helpful for the farmers, scientists, policymakers, and water resource managers to mitigate the effects of droughts over Rajasthan.
Read full paper (pdf)
Som Nath Thakur, Simrit Kahlon, Smita Bhutani, Pooja Sharma: Analysing Human-Environment Relations through Cultural Transformation Among the Gaddis of Chamba and Kangra Districts of Himachal Pradesh, India
This study analyses the cultural transformation of a region through changes in livelihood, lifestyle, and vernacular architecture practices. Traditionally driven by environmental factors, these elements form a cultural landscape reflective of human-environment relations. The study reveals a shift from subsistence to commercial agriculture, increasing exotic animal varieties, and a decline in pastoralism. Lifestyle changes include improved access to modern amenities like electricity, piped water, and liquid petroleum gas (LPG) fuel for cooking. The villages of Kangra district have better access to these amenities than that of Chamba district due to more favourable topography and external interactions. Vernacular architecture practices have also shifted, with greater use of modern building materials and their external sourcing, especially in Kangra district. Overall, cultural transformation is driven by connectivity, accessibility, and state interventions.
Read full paper (pdf)
Sachin Chandrakant Gaonkar, Prabir Kumar Rath: Challenges in Regional Development of Villages with Scheduled Tribe Population in Quepem Sub-Division of South Goa District, India
The indigenous communities of Goa, namely the Velips, Kunbis, and Gawdas, have been granted Scheduled Tribe (ST) status in 2003. Visible disparities persist among the villages inhibited by the people of these communities across the state. The state and central governments have been vigorously implementing the Tribal Welfare Schemes, but the benefits have not been percolated to the needy people in a desired way due to the impediments and lack of people’s participation. Hence, this study based on primary data aims to assess the level of development at village level by analysing the physical and environmental, community and institutional and economic variables in Quepem Sub-Division of South Goa District. The study reveals that the variations in the development have arisen out of existing physical, community based institutional and economic aspects of the people. A majority (75 per cent) of the villages have recorded a high Village Development Index ranging between 0.61 to 0.80. Villages in the interior and hilly regions have recorded a lower index highlighting geographic and infrastructural constraints. Hence, community centric initiatives are essential for the overall development of the villages and this study provides valuable information for identifying the specific development needs of the scheduled tribe-inhabited villages of Quepem Sub-Division, Goa.
Read full paper (pdf)
Tesfaye Letebo Helsabo, Rajeshwari, Shamsher Singh: Land Use/Land Cover Transformation and Its Drivers in Bilate Watershed, Ethiopia
The understanding of the extent of land use/land cover changes and their driving forces is essential for modeling future landscape dynamics and developing sustainable land resource management strategies to mitigate natural resource degradation. Therefore, this study has been aimed to assess the spatio-temporal dynamics of land use/land cover transformation and to identify the key driving factors of land use/land cover changes in the Bilate watershed, Ethiopia. In this study, a mixed-methods approach has been employed, integrating remote sensing techniques with ground-truthing of satellite data and field observations through household surveys, key informant interviews, and focus group discussions. Land use classes have been categorized with supervised classification applying maximum likelihood algorithm. The change detection has been conducted with transformation matrix. The study reveals that a significant increase has taken place in built-up area and agriculture land. In contrast, forest cover has declined sharply. Surprisingly, the expansion of wood land has been noticed which reflects a shift in land cover from dense forest to less vegetated areas. Population growth, agricultural expansion, urban settlement, charcoal production (making coal from wood chips), and firewood collection have emerged as the top five drivers of land use/land cover change, as reported by local respondents. The findings suggest that there is an urgent need for sustainable land resource management to mitigate the ongoing degradation of natural resources in the watershed.
Read full paper (pdf)
Sunny Sharma, Subhakanta Mohapatra, Manoj Kumar, Uma Shankar Singh: Levels of Socio-Ecological Vulnerability in Chamba District of Himachal Pradesh, India
Vulnerability assessment is vital for understanding the impact of natural hazards and disasters in any region. Fragile mountainous ecosystems, frequently affected by flash floods, earthquakes, and landslides, are disrupting the socio-ecological balance, thereby increasing vulnerability in the hilly state of Himachal Pradesh in general, and Chamba district in particular. This study focuses on assessing socio-ecological vulnerability at tehsil level by considering twenty-nine indicators covering five dimensions, namely social, economic, institutional, infrastructural, and ecological. Socio-ecological vulnerability score reveals that Chamba and Bhattiyat tehsils are highly vulnerable whereas Holi and Pangi tehsils are not so much vulnerable to disasters. Correlation analysis indicates a strong positive correlation between infrastructural, economic, and social vulnerability with the composite socio-ecological vulnerability index. Thus, the weaknesses in these three components significantly contribute to the overall vulnerability of the district. Areas with poor infrastructure, economic marginalisation, and low social capital exhibit the highest vulnerability, suggesting a need for strengthening these components.
Read full paper (pdf)
Janhavi Thakur, Dev Dutt Sharma: Climate Change Crisis in the Himalayas: A Critical Assessment of Myth VS Reality in the Himachal Himalaya
The state of Himachal Pradesh, located in the ecologically fragile Western Himalaya, is increasingly being recognized as a climate change hotspot. There are several myths prevalent at local level that consider climate change as a natural phenomenon. This study critically examines whether climate change in the region is a perceived myth or a scientifically validated reality. The study is based on systematic review of existing scientific literature, climatological datasets, policy documents, and regional case studies to assess the trends in the increase of temperature, precipitation anomalies, glacial retreat, and their socio-ecological impacts. A comparative matrix of myth-versus-reality has been constructed and it reveals a significant disconnect between perceptions of the communities and scientific evidence. The findings highlight that climate change is no longer a distant or theoretical concern but a lived reality in Himachal Pradesh.
Read full paper (pdf)
Map Series-XVIII: M. S. Jaglan, Narender Kumar: Punjab-Haryana Region: Agricultural Inputs and Machinery
Modern agricultural technologies, including high-yielding variety (HYV) of seeds, chemical fertilizers, insecticides/pesticides, and farm machinery, have played a crucial role in boosting agricultural productivity and food production. These varieties, particularly during the Green Revolution, have enabled farmers to have significant improvements in crop yields, food security, and livelihoods. HYV of seeds are genetically modified to produce higher yields compared to traditional varieties. These seeds are more responsive to fertilizers and pesticides than traditional varieties, leading to increased yields of crops. HYV of seeds are disease resistance and have relatively shorter maturity periods, contributing to higher and more reliable harvests. Chemical fertilizers provide essential nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, which are crucial for plant growth.
Read full paper (pdf)