Urbanization and Loss of Ecology with Special Reference to Water Bodies and Marshy Areas Using

Remote Sensing and GIS Techniques(A Case study of Srinagar city, J & K, India)

By

ARSHAD AMIN

Research ScholarDepartment of GeographyAligarh Muslim University

Urbanization is one of the most evident global land use land cover change.

During the last 200 years

• World population increased 6 times.• Urban population increased over 100

times.• Presently 50% world population lives in

urban areas. • This growth is rapid in developing

nations.

Urban Population Scenario of Indian

• 1951 (62.5 million).

• 2001 (285 million) an increase of over 350 percent.

• Projected population by the year 2021 (533 million).

• Urban population growth leads to: Urban expansion. Land use/Land cover Transformation.

• Urban expansion leads to :

Loss of Wet lands. Loss of Forest area. Loss of Fertile Agricultural land . Increase of impervious surface.

• Land transformation is the most important fields of human induced environmental transformation which has taken many forms historically starting with fire management, herding practices, the development of agriculture, and culminating with urbanization including industrial development.

Srinagar city (Summer Capital of J&K)• General elevation : 1580 m above m.s.l. • Population in: 1951 - (255679) 2001 – (952324) • Primacy of the city: Population of Anantnag 1951 - (98720) Population of Srinagar city 1951 – (255679)

• Srinagar city is garlanded with River Jhelum and numerous lakes: Dal Lake, Nigeen Lake, Brari Nambal, Khushalsar and wet lands

JAMMU & KASHMIR

OUTLINE SHOWING SRINAGAR CITY

#

Map Showing the Study Area

33o59’14’’

74o57’27’’

74o57’27’’

33o59’14’’

34o12’37’’74o41’06’’

74o41’06’’

34o12’37’’

Flowchart Showing the Methodology Used

Synoptic view of Srinagar city using IRS-1D LISS III + PAN 2008 merged satellite imagery

GANDERBAL ROAD

DACHIGAM ROAD

BUDGAM ROAD

ROAD TO PULWAMA

ROAD TO PULWAMA

CITY BYPASS ROAD

GANDERBAL ROAD

DACHIGAM ROAD

BUDGAM ROAD

ROAD TO PULWAMA

ROAD TO PULWAMA

CITY BYPASS ROAD

Land use 1971 2008 Change % age Change

1. Residential1074.5(4.58%)

3851(16.42%)

2776.5 258.3

2. Semi-urban Village146

(0.62%)399

(1.7%)253 173.2

3. Commercial143.5

(0.61%)268.5

(1.14%)125 87.1

4. Industrial90.5

(0.39%)226.5

(0.97%)136 150.2

5. Parks/Gardens & P.G140

(0.59%)372

(1.59%)232 165.7

6. Restricted Area446

(1.9%)715

(3.04%)269 60.3

7. Vacant517

(2.2%)255

(1.08%)-262 -50.6

8. Agriculture14408

(61.45%)10949

(46.7%)-3459 -24

9. Plantation/Orchard1266.5(5.40%)

2622(11.18%)

1395.5 110.1

10. Forest346.5

(1.47%)153.5

(0.65%)-193 -55

11. Barren539.5(2.3%)

480(2.05%)

-59.5 -11

12. Marshy1667(7.1%)

468.5(2%)

-1198.5 -71.8

13. Water body2145.5(9.15%)

1895(8.08%)

-250.5 -11.6

14. Others (Edu,Govt,Hosp,Relig)

516(2.2%)

791.5(3.37%)

275 53

TOTAL 23446.5 23446.5 --- ---Total Built Up 2556.5 6623.5 4067 159Total Non Built Up 20890 16823 -4067 -19.46Total Urban Area 2410.5 6224.5 3814 158.2

Table Showing Land use Land Cover of Srinagar city

Results and Discussions

• Major Increases from 1971 – 2008 (Area in Hectares):

Built up: 2556.9 to 6623.5 (159%). Urban : 2410.5 to 6224.5 (158%). Residential : 1220.5 to 4250 (258 %). Commercial : 143.5 to 268.5 (87%). Industrial : 136 hectares (150%).

• Major Decreases: Non-built : 20890 to 16823 (-19.46 %).

GANDERBAL ROAD

DACHIGAM ROAD

BUDGAM ROAD

ROAD TO PULWAMA

ROAD TO PULWAMA

CITY BYPASS ROAD

Land Use 1 RES

2

Vill

3 Comm

4 Ind

5 Prk/gar

6Restrd

7Vacant

8Agri

9Pl/Orchd

10Forest

11Marshy

12Barren

13Water

14Others

TOTALArea

(2008)

1. Residential 1074.5 146 210 2145 152.5 77 60 3851

2. Semi-urban Village 146 5.5 322.5 71 399

3. Commercial 14 143.5 111 268.5

4. Industrial 90.5 136 226.5

5. Parks/Gardens & P.g 140 150 40 42 372

6. Restricted 446 33.5 175.5 60 715

7. Vacant 517 185 68.5 255

8. Agriculture 109 14408 214 1081.5 148 10949

9. Plantation/Orchard 21.5 1787 1266.5 39 108 47 43 2622.5

10. Forest 346.5 153.5

11. Marshy 60 1667 92 468.5

12. Barren 74 43 539.5 480

13. Water body 35 2145.5 1894.5

14. Others(Edu,Govt,Hosp,Relig)

25 126.5 44.5 49 27.5 3 516 791.5

Table showing Land Transformation of Srinagar city (2008)

Urban land transformation and its impact on water bodies of Srinagar city

• The main thrust area of this research work is to assess the impact of urban expansion on Water bodies and Marshy areas of Srinagar city which are most important ecologically and also social, economic and cultural existence of the city depends on them.

• The present study reveals that the expansion of Srinagar city and land transformation has severely affected the aerial extent of water bodies as well as the quality of water.

• It was found they have decreased by about 1450 hectares during 37 years study period.

Where:

• Water bodies - 250.5 hectares.• Marshy areas - 1198.5 hectares.

BUD DAL

LOKUT DAL

GAGRIBAL

KHUMANI CHOWK

BEMINA WEST

LAL CHOWK (CBD) BRARI NAMBAL

KHUSHALSAR MARSH

NIGEEN LAKE

HAZRATBAL BASIN

RIVER JHELUM

BARBAR SHAH

KHANYAR RAINAWARI

RAKH-I-GANDAKSHSH MARSH

Location of Water bodies and Marshy areas of Srinagar city

Nature and location of Transformation

Total land transformation

(1971-2008)

Main activities Impacts

Water body to Agriculture:1.West of Dal Lake: adjoining Hazratbal (25 hectares)2.Rainawari (40 hectares)3.Lokut Dal (83 hectares)

148 hectares Floating gardens and various allied activities like mat weaving.

Shrinking of the Lake and pollution.

Water body to Marshy:1.East of Dal Lake (58hectares)2.Gagribal (17 hectares)3.Lokut Dal adjacent to Gagribal (10 hectares)4.Brari nambal (7 hectares)

92 hectares Effluents from houses, hotels, restaurants and especially the house boats lead to over growth of dense weed.

Conversion of Water body to Marsh.

Water body to plantation:1.West of Nigeen lake

7 hectares Tourist related activities

Shrinking along the western side of the lake

Marshy to Agriculture:1.Both in Lokut and Bud Dal basins in West of Dal Lake (621 hectares)2.Dal Lake adjoining to Jogi lankar (15 hectares) and Rainawari (12 hectares)3.Rakh-i-Gandakshah- Bemina (198 hectares)4.Khumani Chowk (243.5 hectares)

1081.5 hectares Agricultural activities i.e., floating gardens and on land.

Complete conversion of Marshy areas to Agriculture, leading to number of problems and two to three day continuous rains lead to floods.

Table showing the Nature of Transformation of Water bodies and Marshy areas

Marshy to Plantation/Orchards:1.Southern Khuhalsar (33.5 hectares)2.In Rakh-i-Gandakshah (34 hectares)3.Lokut Dal (24.5 hectares)4.Brari nambal (16 hectares)

108 hectares

Urban forestry

Significant area under marsh got shrink.

Marshy to others:1.Rakh-i- Gandakshah (29 hectares) 2.Some patches in the west of Dal lake at Hazratbal (20 hectares)

49 hectares

Conversion into built-up land

Extinction of this marsh

Contd…

S.no Land cover Area in 1971 (hectares)

Transformation Area in 2008 (hectares)

1. Dal Lake

(2547.5 hectares)

Water body- (1538)

Marshy area- (1009.5)

Water body to Agriculture -(148 hectares)

Water body to Marsh - (85 hectares)

Marshy to Agriculture - (650 hectares)

Marshy to plantation/Orchards - (24.5 hectares)

Marshy to others – (20 hectares) Marshy to Residential (35 hectares)

Water body (1305)

Marsh (315)

2. Nigeen Lake

(110 hectares)

Water body – (110) Water body to Plantation – (7 hectares) Water body (103)

3. Brari Nambal

(100 hectares)

Water body – (28)

Marshy area – (72)

Water body to Marsh – (7 hectares)

Marsh to Plantation/ Orchards – (16 hectares)

Water body (21)

Marsh (56)

4. Khushalsar

(106 hectares)

Water body – (15)

Marshy area – (91)

Marshy to Plantation/ Orchards – (33.5 hectares)

Water body (15)

Marsh (57.5)

5. Rakh-i- Gandakshah

(494.5 hectares)

Marshy (494.5) Marshy to Agriculture – (431.5 hectares)

Marshy to Plantation/Orchards – (34 hectares)

Marshy to others – (29 hectares)

Complete Transformation

6. River Jhelum

(454 hectares)

Water body - (454) No change Water body (454)

Table showing Transformation of Water bodies and Marshy Areas in Srinagar city

Impacts of urban expansion on Water bodies and Marshy areas of Srinagar city

•Settlements around Water bodies.

•House boats in Water bodies.

•Agricultural activities in and around water bodies.

•Rise in the influx of nutrients.

•Growth of weeds in water bodies.

• Shrinking of water bodies.

• Local climatic change.

• Occurrence of floods and water logging.

Settlements around Water bodies

• Dal Lake sheltering about 50 hamlets with a population of over 50,000 people, who have property rights over 300 hectares (6,000 kanals) of agricultural land and 670 hectares (13,400 kanals) of water area.

House boats in Water bodies

A Panoramic View of Houseboats inside the Dal Lake

Agricultural activities in and around water bodies

• About 90 percent of the Dal dwellers have a very poor socio-economic base and they churn out their modest income from agricultural activities, mat weaving, tourist related activities like paddling Shikaras and deweeding of weeds.

Floating gardens inside Dal Lake

Transformation of Water body to Marshy

Parameters Hazratbal Basin Lokut Dal Basin Gagribal Basin Nigeen Lake

1977 2008 1977 2008 1977 2008 1977 2008

pH 7.7- 9.5 6.9- 9.5 7.4-9.5 7.9- 9.2 7.5- 9.5 7.3- 9.4 7.7- 9.5 7.2- 9.0

Total Alkalinity(mg /l)

70- 120 44- 164 22- 210 29- 160 70- 125 20- 126 80- 134 22- 204

Nitrate- Nitrogen(µg /l)

80- 650 100- 3680 95- 691 150- 2800 80- 603 80- 3360 90- 632 90- 3700

Total phosphorous(µg /l)

62- 623 76-820 65-620 48- 750 70- 506 100- 840 90- 873 96- 580

Rise in the influx of nutrients

• 15 major drains get emptied into the lake waters which are charged with nutrients and every year carry about 18.17 tons of phosphorous and 25 tons of inorganic nitrogen.

Table showing Changes in water chemistry of Dal Lake over the last few decades

Growth of weeds in water bodies

• Recent grown up weed Azolla Pinnata has converted the water into dense marsh because of various nitrogen and phosphorous effluents from houses, hotels, restaurants and the house boats, which act as the fertilizer to these weeds.

Weeds inside the Dal Lake

Shrinking of water bodies

Dal Lake waters decreased by 233 hectares.

Nigeen Lake waters decreased by 7 hectares.

Brari Nambal decreased by 7 hectares.

Present study:

Other Studies:

During the last century more than 50 percent of the water bodies have been lost in the suburbs of Srinagar city.

Vegetable gardens inside Brari Nambal Water body

Transformation of Water body to Residential

Local climatic change

•Modified the microclimate of the city.

•On July 15, 1973, the highest temperature ever recorded in Srinagar city was 35.5 degrees Celsius and on July 7, 2006, it was recorded at 39.5 degree Celsius.

Occurrence of floods and water logging

• These marshy areas and water bodies used to act as the sponges during the floods.

• Now it happens that if it rains continuously for two to three days, the city is threatened with the floods.

Suggestions

• Firm implementation of 2003 Blanket ban restriction of state high court ruling.

• Influx of nutrients should be checked.

• Deweeding and dredging should be carried out in the affected water bodies.

• Sewage Treatment plants (STP) should be fully implemented.

• Relocation of Dal dwellers.

• Environmental awareness programmes among people.