THE KONKAN GEOGRAPHER Vol. O. 01 March 2012 ISSN 2277 – 4858
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THE KONKAN GEOGRAPHER Vol. o. 01 March 2012 ISSN 2277 – 4858 "THE HIERARCHY OF MARKET CENTRES IN SINDHUDURG DISTRICT" (MAHARASHTRA) Dr. S. A. Thakur HOD Geography, S. P. K. College Sawantwadi, Sindhudurg Chairman- BOS in Geography, University of Mumbai Dr. R. B. Patil HOD Geography, A&C College Phondaghat, Kankavali Sindhudurg Member- BOS in Geography, University of Mumbai Dr. P. G. Saptarshi, Professor of Sustainability Management, Indian Institute of Cost & Management Studies And Research, Pune 1.0. Introduction :- Marketing Geography is concerned with the channels of distribution through which goods move from producer to consumer. In fact the primary objectives of marketing geography is to study the market places as units of space and various kinds of activities associated with the distribution of goods required by consumers. There exists a wide range of geographical environment, regional economy as well as social, historical and cultural aspects of the region. The functional organisation is one of the important aspect of study in marketing geography. Taking into consideration above aspect of the market centres the Sindhudurg district is choosen for purpose of study. 2.0. The Study Region :- The study region, which lies between 15°37‟ North to 16°40' North latitude and 73°19‟ East to 74°13‟ East Longitude, covers an area about 5207 km2, having total population of 848868 persons according to 2011 census. The Sindhudurg district lies in the south part of the Maharashtra State along the sea coast, which extents north-south direction about 121 km (figure No.1). Physiographically, this area is very rugged and complex one. The height of the region varies from sea level up- to 1300 m. 3.0. Data Collection :- The entire work is based on the primary and secondary data. The data and information is taken from the following sources :- i. The District Gazetteer and District Census Hand Book of Sindhudurg District. ii. The field survey with the help of the Questionaire. iii. Besides this the informations regarding the work were taken from various records and journals. The Konkan Geographer Vol. No. 01 March 2012 1 4.0. Methodology :- Here, an attempt has been made to analyse the centrality and hierarchy of market centres in Sindhudurg district. The hierarchic order of market centres have been calculated with the help of different functions which are available at market places. The centrality score of the market centres have been calculted by using W.K.D. Davies's (1967) method. 5.0. Objectives :- 5.1 The main objectives of the present study are :- i. To arrange the hierarchic orders of market centres according to centrality values. ii. To study the service areas in relation to population and settlements of market centers according to their hierarchic orders. 6.0 Hierarchy of Market centres :- 6.1 Hierarchies of settlements as general service centres have been described in many different parts of the world, in the more advanced countries and in a historical context as well as the modern day setting. (Berry B.J.L. and Pred A. 1965) 6.2 Choice of Method :- For the analysis of groups of the hierarchy of market centres, the method of Zipf's (1949) Rank-Size Rule has been adopted. All the market centres are arranged according to their centrality values, and represented as points on the graph paper" and the break- The Konkan Geographer Vol. No. 01 March 2012 2 points were demarcated, then they are grouped into five categories of hierarchic orders. 6.3 Hierarchic orders of market centres in The Study Region : As mentioned above with the help of graph paper, hierarchy of market centres were determined and they were grouped in to five classes. (Table No. II) The first order hierarchy is occupied by Sawantwadi town having highest centrality score (431.84). Sawantwadi iso\ taluka head quarter where most of the commercial, social and administrative district offices are found. Sawantwadi is the historical (Sansthan) head-quarter in the past . The second order market centres includes all the taluka head-quarters (except Vaibhavwadi) of the region. As compared to Sawantwadi, these market centres have very few Imporant functions.- Five market centres included in this group; namely Devgad, Kankavll, Malvan, Kudal, and Vengurla. In the third order there are 15 market centres. Out of which only one market centre is a taluka head-quarter i.e. Vaibhavwadi. There are 22 market centres in the forth order and remaning 10 markets centres are included in the centres having small functional values. But these ,places play an important role as rural service centre in the rural land scape of the region. (Figure No. 2) 6.4 Regional Analysis :- Fifth Order Market Centres :- In the lowest order all 53 market centres have been considered for analysis. The fifth order market centres have average spacing of 7.2 kms and the average number of The Konkan Geographer Vol. No. 01 March 2012 3 villages served by these market centre account for 9 rural settlements and average population served by each market centre accounts nearly 7483 persons. The average area served by fifth order market centre is 52 sq. kms. In the spatial distribution of market centres it is Observed that in the eastern part of the study region, where the topography of the area is hilly and rugged, high rain fall, hence dense forest, low population density and small size market centres served large area than the average (Table No. I ) Some market, centres of the Kudal, Ma Ivan and Sawantwadt talukas have less service : areas than the average because development of road network, irrigation facilities, agriculturally prosporous area gives rise to more number of market centres in the region so they serve less- area and more population than the average. (Fig No. 3) Fourth Order Market Centres :- There are 22 market centres included in the fourth order of hierarchy. Out of the total, nearly 41.5 percent market centres are included in this order. The fourth order market centres have average spacing of 9 kms. They served nearly 10 rural settlements and the average population served about 11016 persons by each market centre. The average area served by these market centres is nearly 81 sq.kms. (Table No. l ) The spatial analysis shows that higher concentration of fourth order market centres is found in Kudal taluka. In VaLbhavwadi taluka there is not a single fourth order market centre. In Devgad taluka all the market centres (except taluka head quarter) are included in fourth hierarchic order. In general, it is observed that in the north-western part and south central part of the study region have more number market centres of fourth hierarchic order. These market centres are established along the road and sea coast. (Figure No. 4) Third Order Market Centres There are 15 market centres included in the third order of hierarchy. The third order market centres have average spacing of 10.9 kms. Nearly 18 rural settlements are served by each market centre. Each third order of hierarchic market centre serves 16303 population and 119.4 sq.kms area. (Table No. l ) It is observed that, the higher concentration of third order hierarchic market centres are found in the Kankavali taluka. There is not a single third order hierarchic market centre in the Devgad taluka. In the north-eastern part of the study region, particularly Vaibhavwadi and north Kankavali talukas have more number of third order market centres. The market centres of Kankavali taluka's have located on road site. In the southern and western part of the study region the market centres are mostly found on the boundry of Maharashtra and Goa and along the road site-(Figure No. 5) . The Konkan Geographer Vol. No. 01 March 2012 4 Second Order Market Centres :- There are five market centres involved in the second order of hierarchy. These market centres served very large area and-more population of the study region. The average spacing between the second order market centres is 13.2 kms. In this order each market centre served nearly 29 rural settlements and 46150 population of study area. They served an average area of 173.7 sq.kms. (Table No. I). The spatial analysis shows that in Vaibhavwadi taluka there is not a single second order market centre. It is observed that, in remaining talukas, there is a one second order market centre. (Figure No. 6) 7.5 Hierarchic Relationships :- In the study region, it is observed that there is a close relationship between hierarchic order of market centres with their service area, population and settlements. In the first order market centre i.e. Sawantwadi, which serves about 133.3 sq.km area, 40137 population and nearly 11 rural settlements of its peripherial region but it also serves total district area also. Five market centres are included in the second order market. centre, which serves nearly 868.5 sq. km. area, 230754 population and 146 rural settlements. TABLE NO. I SINDHUDURG DISTRICT: Spacing between Market Centres; settlement, population and area served by each Market Centre. Hierarchic Spacing Settlement Population Area served in Order of market between market served by each served by each sq.km by each centre centre market centre market centre market centre I 13.2 29.20 46150.8 173.7 II 10.9 17.87 16303.46 119.4 III 9.0 10.18 11016.13 81.0 IV 7.2 9.10 7482.6 52.0 TABLE NO. -II SINDHUDURG DISTRICT : No. of Market Centres in each hierarchic order, their percentage, area, served, population served, and No. of settlement served Sr. No.of Area Marke % to % to Population % to No. of % to No market served t order total total served total settlement total .