Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR) Vol-3, Issue-1, 2017 ISSN: 2454-1362, http://www.onlinejournal.in

Urbanization Pattern of Border Districts of along Radcliff Line: A Geopolitical Analysis Using Remote Sensing and Geographical Information System

Mrs. Pinky Vaishnava¹ and Dr. Monika Kannan² ¹Department of Geography, Mayo College Girls’ School, , Rajasthan ²Head, Department of Geography, Sophia Girls’ College, Ajmer, Rajasthan

Abstract: Radcliffe line is a Geopolitical site disputes, these uncertain borders also present the between two nuclear- armed rivals, and challenge of cross-border infiltration, illegal . The border areas of India bordering migration, smuggling and other forms of criminal Pakistan are more hostile than those, bordering activity. with other countries. The main objective of the India and Pakistan are two neighbouring study is to investigate the urban development gaps countries in South Asia. Being the part of same existing between Border districts of Rajasthan and continent the geographical conditions of both the its core regions as areas under border situation countries are similar but they are, nevertheless, suffers more in their growth than the ones which distinct nations from political point of view. There are away from it, especially when the bordering are no natural boundaries between India and countries are not in cordial terms with each other. Pakistan because of which many problems crop up This research paper is an attempt to identify the every now and then. India shares 3,323 km. spatial-temporal changes of LULC in the border (including Line of Control (LOC) in Jammu & districts of Rajasthan through Remote Sensing and Kashmir) of its land border with Pakistan. Since GIS techniques, to analyze the Geopolitical India’s partition based on Hindu and Muslim implication of international border on the religious majority, these two countries are not in urbanization pattern of border districts of cordial terms. On 17th August 1947 the Radcliffe Rajasthan. In spite of resourcefulness the border Line was declared as the boundary districts are not equally developed. Ganganagar between India and Pakistan, following the Partition and have high urban and economic growth of India. The line is named after Sir Cyril Radcliffe as compared to and Barmer. who was commissioned to equitably divide 4, 50,000 km sq of territory with 88 million 1. Introduction people. The partition resulted in extreme violence and one of the largest migrations in History. After Apart from the most affluent countries, most of the the partition India and Pakistan have fought four world’s states have little capacity to guard their wars in 1947, 1965, 1971 and 1999. After these borders. The problems of insufficient financial wars, areas along the international border line are resources, inadequate training, low pay and heavily militarized. The border areas are the most corruption, mean that effective border security is a sensitive areas which are susceptible to infiltration reality only in very few regions of the world. Even by terrorists, smuggling of arms and ammunition, drug trafficking, illegal trade, crime, and insurgency. The border areas of India bordering the affluent states of Australia and Japan, whose Pakistan are more hostile than those, bordering island status isolates them from some problems of with other countries. The areas in its close vicinity cross-border crime and terrorism, are not immune suffer in their growth more than others located at from them. distance due to shortage of facilities like education India has land borders extending over institutes, health care centers, market facility, 15,107 km and a coastline 7,517 km in length. A welfare centers, recreational facilities, transport and total of Ninety-two Indian districts, spread over 17 communication services etc. Research states states, are classified as border districts. Large tracts proximity to the International border with an of India’s political borders are disputed, poorly unfriendly country proved detrimental to even new demarcated or not demarcated by natural features. investment in industry, trade and construction. The In addition to the risk of conventional international nature and degree of influence of an international

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Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR) Vol-3, Issue-1, 2017 ISSN: 2454-1362, http://www.onlinejournal.in border depend upon its age, the type of region it separates and the kind of relationship between countries on each side. Radcliffe line is a Geopolitical site between two nuclear- armed rivals, India and Pakistan. The border areas have strategic significance for the nation as they affect peace and security of a nation. The border and borderland between countries are very extensive and dynamic. Earth observation can play an important role in Borderland monitoring and management of resources. Airborne digital multispectral imaginary can be used to monitor the cross- border traits. This research is an attempt to identify the spatial-temporal changes of LULC in the border districts of Rajasthan through Remote Sensing and GIS techniques, to analyze the Geopolitical implication of international border on the urbanization pattern of border districts. Figure 1. Location map 2. Objectives The present study has been undertaken with the (210kms), Bikaner (168kms), Jaisalmer (464kms) following objectives: and Barmer (228kms) are linked with the western 1) To identify and analyze the urbanization boundary of Rajasthan adjacent to Pakistan. The pattern of the districts of Rajasthan boundary commences from Hindumalkot in adjacent to International Border. Ganganagar Tehsil to Shahgarh in tehsil 2) To study the Geopolitical impact of of Barmer. Along the western boundary of International Border on the urban growth Rajasthan, the western sandy plain and Pakistan of the study region through Satellite data face each other across the International boundary pertaining from 1972 to 2015. for about 1070kms. This boundary is basically 3) To evaluate the existing levels of urban natural as it passes across the bleak, inhospitable development for identifying the potential and waste lands of the sandy arid plains. The areas for intervention for future region is mostly a sand covered peneplain in which development rocky outcrops appear through the sand. Above the 3. Hypothesis sandy arid plains Ghaggar plains cover the three- The present study is based on following forth area of Ganganagar district. This plain is hypotheses:- sandy plain interspersed sand hills. The northern  Border districts are likely to suffer in their half of the region is fully canalled and thus is made urban growth when countries are not in productive. The south western portion is a cordial terms with each other. combination of sandy and semi canalled area.  If security and living conditions are Except the canal network drainage is seasonal in improved and community facilities are the border districts. Maximum of net irrigated area provided in the form of better and gross irrigated area of border districts is under infrastructure, the negative impact of canal irrigation. The climate of the region is international border on urbanization can characterized by great extremes of temperature. be reduced. The maximum daily temperature goes up to 42º to 45º C during summer month. It is one of the hottest 4. Study Area regions of India and because the diurnal range is large the minimum daily temperature drop down considerably. The mean annual rainfall is highly The state of Rajasthan is located in the north- erratic in its incidence, varies from 10cm on Indo- western part of India between 23º3’ to 30º12’ N Pak border to 30cm on eastern edge of border latitudes and 69º30’ to 78º17’ E longitudes. The district. Expect the narrow track of alluvium in boundaries of the districts of Ganganagar Ganganagar district the soil in the border region sandy in texture and saline in nature and generally is poor in organic matter. The four border districts of Rajasthan cover 31% of the total geographical area of Rajasthan. As per census 2011, population in the border district is 760712 which are the

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Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR) Vol-3, Issue-1, 2017 ISSN: 2454-1362, http://www.onlinejournal.in

11%of the state’s population. The border districts Pakistan. The boundaries of the districts of have lowest population density in the state. Ganganagar, Bikaner, Jaisalmer and Barmer are Decadal growth rate recorded in the period of linked with the western boundary of Rajasthan 2001-11 is highest in the (32.5), adjacent to Pakistan. Areas adjacent to the Indo- even Bikaner and Jaisalmer has decadal growth Pak border in Rajasthan have experienced low above the state and national average. Ganganagar urban growth. with 10.06 has lowest among all districts. Sex ratio in all 4 districts is lower than the state and national Ganganagar District Population average. 1 Ganganagar 224532 5. Methodology 2 70536 The research work is based on both the primary and 3 30877 secondary data. The primary data were collected 4 Raisingnagar 28330 through field survey, observation, sampling, personal interviews to examine the basic facilities 5 24980 available to the people along the border and away 6 21297 from it and questionnaire survey will be conducted 7 18425 to find out the public opinion on various aspects of Border Area Development Programme and also 8 Padampur 18420 informations were collected from the Government 9 14010 offices of the District headquarters. 10 Gajsinghpur 9995 The secondary sources of information were State Government and Government of India’s official Bikanar District websites, District statistical abstracts published by 11 Bikanar 644406 the Directorate, Census of India 2011(District 12 Nokha 62699 Census Handbook), the various published sources on various aspects of Border Area Development 13 53294 Programme and other urban development schemes. 14 18470 The satellite imageries were refereed to evaluate 15 Beriyawali 11831 and compare the Land Use/Land Cover of the study region obtained from (Bhuvan) National Remote 16 9684 Sensing Agency, Hyderabad, United States Geological Survey, USA, Regional Remote 17 Jaisalmer 65471 Sensing Centre, , State Remote Sensing Application Centre Department of Informational 18 Pokaran 23554 Technology, Jodhpur. Satellite remote sensing with Barmer District repetitive and synoptic viewing capabilities as well 19 Barmer 96225 as multispectral capabilities is a powerful tool for mapping and monitoring the ecological changes in 20 74496 the study region. Moreover, the published books, 21 Dhorimanna 6513 journals, articles of newspapers and magazines were sources of data and information. The 22 Utarlai 4603 Table 1. Population of Towns and Cities in Border collected data were processed, tabulated and Districts of Rajasthan analyzed with appropriate cartographic and GIS techniques and statistical measures. Table 2. Rural and urban population in border districts of Rajasthan 6. Level of Urbanization in the Border Districts Rural and Urban Population No. of Rural Urban Towns/ Urbanization is a process of population growth in District Total (in %) (in %) Cites urban areas either through natural growth or immigration. Urbanization is a component of Ganganagar 1969520 72.8 27.2 10 regional economic development because urban Bikaner 2363937 66.14 33.86 6 centers provide variety of centralized services for the surrounding zone of influence which are Jaisalmer 669919 86.71 13.29 2 necessary for regional development. Rajasthan situated in the north-western part of the country Barmer 2603751 93.02 6.98 4 shares 1070 kilometers of long boundary with

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Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR) Vol-3, Issue-1, 2017 ISSN: 2454-1362, http://www.onlinejournal.in

Table 3. Figure 2. Land use land cover map of Rajasthan Class Wise Number of Towns and Cities in Border Region, 2011 Cl Population Num Percentage of Total ass Size bers Urban Population 1,00000 I and More 2 56.69 50,000- II 99,999 6 27.58 20,000- III 49,999 5 8.41 10,000- IV 19,999 5 5.29 50,00- V 9,999 3 1.7 Less Than VI 5000 1 0.3

As per census 2011 level of urbanization in the border districts ranges from 33.86% to 6.98% (Bikaner 33.86%, Ganganagar 27.2%, Jaisalmer 13.29% and Barmer 6.98%). Level of urbanization in Ganganagar and Bikaner is above the state average of 24.9%. Bikaner is the only district among the bordering districts which has urbanization rate above the National average of Figure 3. Zonation map 32%. Out of the total 227 town of Rajasthan 22 are located in the border districts.

Census of India classifies urban centers into six classes. Data reveals that there are only two cities Ganganagar and Bikaner in the border districts which are even situated away from the international border. Border districts have maximum of class II, III and IV towns. Economic backwardness, low literacy rate, high population growth rate and immigrants from Pakistan resulted in the low urbanization in Barmer and Jaisalmer districts while Ganganagar and Bikaner with productive intensive agriculture practices due to dense canal network, growth of agro based industries, mining and better infrastructure have higher urbanization rate. Geographical Information System (GIS) is an essential tool used in this research in order to combine raster and vector data formats.

With the help of vector data, point location map of settlements of Rajasthan is produced. This map will be used to assess the role of distance-decay factor. Towns will be grouped into six categories with a distance interval of 20 kilometers, number of towns falling in each category will be identified through the buffer technique and their collective growth rate by distance groups will also be calculated. Research states that the impact of international border found to be very critical up to a distance of

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Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR) Vol-3, Issue-1, 2017 ISSN: 2454-1362, http://www.onlinejournal.in

40 kilometers, moderate between 40 to 100 sand stone, clay and lime stone are found at kilometers and negligible beyond the 100 different levels. Fuller’s earth, Clay, lignite and kilometers. Contrary to normal expectation, smaller gypsum, white clay and grit and important towns grow faster than large ones. To know about economic minerals being produced in the district the specialized services perform by these towns, which have change the Bikaner’s economy. Better they will be classified on the basis of dominant or infrastructure and improvement in basic facilities specialized function. Their results will be very has resulted high HDI score 0.779 which is higher helpful in knowing about the growth of different than the state and national average. Barmer is functional towns. Temporal urban changes will be included in the list of most backward districts of traced visually and statistical analyzed between the country due to shortage of basic infrastructure studied years with the model structured through like education institutes, health care centers, market GIS. This study is aimed to monitor urban changes facility, Industries, welfare centers, recreational with remote sensing data. Remote Sensing facilities, transport and communication services techniques are extremely useful for change etc. Barmer has more of villages and hamlets detection analysis and selection of sites for specific situated along the border due to insufficient basic facilities such as hospitals, restaurants, solid waste facilities. Barmer is a potential resource region of disposal and industry etc. Rajasthan popular for minerals like bentoonite, gypsum. Fullers earth, selenite, silica sand, bajari, 6.1. Resource Development in Border Districts masonry stone and fossil fuels. It has the The construction of Rajasthan’s first lignite based thermal power plant in the dry lands of , Bikaner, situated; British Oil Company Cairn Energy has Jaisalmer and Barmer has transformed the ecology, discovered many oil reserves in the district and has economy and society. It has influenced the drilled 21 oil wells in Basin till 2012. environmental conditions of the region both Based on these oil reserves Government of India positively and negatively. Spread of canal irrigation has planned to build a big oil refinery at has led to increase in cultivated area and intensity which is going to transform the economy of the of cropping by increasing the soil moisture. district by developing the region as petrochemical Traditional crops in the region have been replaced hub. It is even famous for its carved wooden by wheat, cotton, groundnut and rice. Towns in the furniture and hand block printing industry. Trade Ganganagar district are compact and grew fast and commerce is also important function in the city due to irrigation based agriculture development and with industrial activities. Share of agriculture is agro based industrialization. Industrial growth in least. The people are mostly labor class working in the town is less due to higher labour and transport industries, Shops, restaurants, transport and others. cost. Human development index (HDI) is 0.779 Poor immigrants from Pakistan have increased the which is not just highest among the border districts rural population in Barmer and Jaisalmer. it is even higher than the state and national average. Jaisalmer being almost a desert area and thus Except Ganganagar population density is less West negligible forest growth, scarcity of water of Indira Gandhi Canal in Rajasthan due to the resources and low production of agricultural crops, negative impact of border and arid climatic zone, the pace of industrial development in the district while in Ganganagar the situation is just opposite has remained at the lower side due to that the due to large network of canals and road. Northern settlements are also scattered in the district. The Bikaner has compact settlements while southern situation is worst along the border. Jaisalmer with region semi-clustered settlements as its northern 17 persons per square kilometers has lowest boundary is attached to Ganganagar District and population density in the state. District has mostly like Ganganagar transport and communication small scale industries due to shortage of raw facilities and household status is better with good material, technical knowhow, and unskilled labour. electricity, safe drinking water and toilet facilities Average investment in plant or industry is just available, even net irrigated area to net sown area Rs.10, 000. Vast resources of cement grade and gross irrigated are to grass cropped areas is limestone exist in the area. Availability of chemical quite good due to better network of canals. The and high grade limestone paves way for setting of Bikaner is famous for delicacies like Rasgullas, chemical industries. Natural gas reserves have been Bhujias and Papads. It has become a big wool discovered near Ghotaru, Ramgarh, Tanot all of production centre and has a unique Camel research which are situated near Indo-Pak Border. Gas farm and lignite based thermal power plant. based power plant has started production near Bikaner has many cottage and small scale Ramgarh. There is further scope for setting up of industries. The district Bikaner is thus vast sandy such plants. Yellow stone and stand stone of tracks except Kolayat are covered with sand of Jaisalmer is world famous and cutting and Rock locally known as “Magra” are found is parts polishing industries can be establish based on their Kolayat tehsil. In the magra areas various types of deposits. Border districts even have high potential

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Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR) Vol-3, Issue-1, 2017 ISSN: 2454-1362, http://www.onlinejournal.in of generating solar energy, wind energy, Bio Urbanization becomes a part and parcel of energy and Thermal energy. However, these economic development of a country. Better urban Natural resources have not been used optimally. growth even in the border district will be a boon for the state and national economy. This study is an 6.2. Border Area Development Programme effort to analyze the urbanization level along the Border Area Development Programme international Border in the state of Rajasthan and (BADP) was introduced in the year 1993-94 with identify the special developmental needs of the the objective of building the much needed social people living in remote and inaccessible areas and physical infrastructure to propel normal situated near the international border to suggest development activities and to enhance household strategies for decision makers to facilitate the incomes to promote economic growth. As per the border areas with the required essential new guidelines, BADP is to be implemented in a infrastructure for improving the quality of life of phased manner. The first phase is to be the people and urbanization level in the border implemented in the 0-10 Kilometer range from the districts. Urban planning requires a large volume of border areas. The State Government can start the data both at the time of planning and at the time of work in the area beyond 10 km only after implementation of the plan to determine the status completion of all developmental works under first of the available facilities. Thus remote sensing and phase, which is very difficult to achieve. Though GIS techniques provide accurate, orderly and BADP mandates that no work should be allotted reliable information for planning and management beyond 10 km unless 0-10 km (from border) area is of a town and its resources. saturated, but no criterion has been fixed to determine if area is saturated. It was found that 8. Conclusion people of the border areas of Rajasthan were not The finding shows that the Border areas are lagging satisfied with the work done under BADP. behind in the process of development. Proximity to the international border with an unfriendly country 7. Significance of the study proved detrimental to new investment in industry, The aim of the research is to investigate trade, services and infrastructure development. the urban development gaps existing between Rather it caused some transfer of industrial and Border districts of Rajasthan and its core regions. commercial entrepreneurs to safer places. In terms Though India is among the most fast growing of level of urbanization Border States as a unit is economies of the world but its border security is a performing better while border districts as a unit is major concern. That is why its border areas are performing low. Impact of international border can quite less developed as comparative to its interior be minimized by building border security and regions as areas under border situation suffers more identifying the potential of the area and its need for in their growth than the ones which are away from the development and building the required it, especially when the bordering countries are not infrastructure. In Ganganagar and Bikaner the in cordial terms with each other. negative impact of border has been minimized to a The border districts of Rajasthan have large extent by improving the household status high potential to develop economically. However, through improved agriculture productivity and the natural resources of the region especially Solar introducing small scale industries while Jaisalmer energy, Wind energy, Biogas and thermal energy and Barmer are still bearing its negative impact and non metallic minerals have not been harnessed with low level of urbanization due to improper properly. In spite of resourcefulness the border resource utilization. For the management of districts are not equally developed. Ganganagar and resources and identifying the potential areas Bikaner have high urban and economic growth as Remote sensing and GIS techniques were used, as compared to Jaisalmer and Barmer. By utilizing the these techniques have proved very useful in potential resources socio-economic status of the providing accurate, orderly and reliable districts can be improved and negative effect of information for planning and management of a international border can be reduced. Process of resource. Border Area Development Programme economic growth will lead to a further rise in the (BADP) through the State Governments was level of urbanization as in case of Bikaner and launched to promote a sense of security and Ganganagar where Urbanization and HDI rate is wellbeing among the border population. However, higher than National average. Developed countries Border Area Development Programme do not like China and USA has even developed and achieve the stated targets, especially regarding the implemented a series of preferential policies to management of migrants, commodities, goods, support urban development in border areas and to services and information within the border areas. strengthen the national identity of residents living Better intelligence, force modernization and there. meeting equipment needs are immediate priorities

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Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR) Vol-3, Issue-1, 2017 ISSN: 2454-1362, http://www.onlinejournal.in in border security. Formation of adequate policy Social Science and Humanities Research, Vol. and implementation of desired programmes 2, Issue 3, pp: (240-244), Month: July 2014 - sincerely can improve the living conditions of the September 2014, ISSN 2348-3156 (Print), residents’ daily lives. Border Security Grid is a ISSN 2348-3164 (online). major project of Government of India for sealing  NITI AAYOG, Evaluation Study on Border Area Development Programme, Programme the Indo- Pak border to control the insurgency. Evaluation Organization, Government of Boarder areas can be used for facilitating trade and India, June, 2015. for cultural exchanges between the people of the  Ganganagar, Bikaner, Jaisalmer and Barmer: two countries provided good neighborly relations Directorate of economics and Statistics. are maintained between India and Pakistan is of great importance not only from the view point of Online Sources Rajasthan but also of the whole country. To  www.ctp.rajasthan.gov.in/Urbanizati conclude, it can be said that the government should on-in-India. pay rightful attention for making investment –  www.in.undp.org/human public as well as private, which can further lead to development report2009 balanced development of such marginal areas and  Census.gov.in bridge the gap among core and periphery  www.rajasthan.gov.in  www.rajcensus.gov.in 9. LIST OF REFERENCES AND  freegisdata.rtwilson.com BIBLIOGRAPHY  www.statistics.rajasthan.gov.in  Bala, Raj and G. Krishan (1982). Urbanization in a Border Region: A Case study of India’s Border Districts Adjoining Pakistan, The Geographical journal, Vol. 148, P.43-49.  R. Ramachandran (1991), Urbanization and Urban System in India, Pattern of Urbanization, Delhi Oxford University Press, P.120-150.  B. L. Nanda (1998), The Making of a Nation, Toward Independence and Partition, Harper Collins Publisher, India, P.277-305.  R. K. Banerjee and Bireshwar Banerjee (2000), Remote Sensing Technique for regional Develoment, Concept Publishing Company, , P.111-157.  H.Taubenbock. et al. (2009), “Urbanisation in India –Spatiotemporal analysis using remote sensing data”, Computers, Environment and Urban Systems, Vol.33, pp. 1139-1156.  Bala krishnan, P. and M. Parameswaran (2007), Understanding Economic Growth in India: A Prerequisite, Economic and Political Weakly, 42: 2915-2922.  P. Das, 2010. India’s Border Management Select Documents. New Delhi: Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (IDSA).  Brief Industrial Profile of Ganganagar, Bikaner, Jaisalmer and Barmer Districts (2010- 11), Government of India Ministry of MSME.  Atiqur Rahman et al. (2011), Urbanization and Quality of Urban Environment Using Remote Sensing and GIS Techniques in East Delhi- India, Journal of Geographic Information System, 2011, 3, 62-84.  Utpal Kumar (2015), A Regional Perspective on Development in Western Border Areas of India, International Multidisciplinary Research Journal, ISSN No: 2231-5063, Vol 4 Issue 12 June 2015.  Zahoor Ahmad Malik and Dr. G.K. Sharma (2014),India-Pakistan peace process during UPA government , International Journal of

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