Agricultural Pattern in the Flood Prone Area: a Case Study of Lower Damodar Area of Haora District, West Bengal, India
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Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR) Vol-3, Issue-4, 2017 ISSN: 2454-1362, http://www.onlinejournal.in Agricultural Pattern in the Flood Prone Area: A Case Study of Lower Damodar Area of Haora District, West Bengal, India Tonay Kumar Shet* & Dr. Omveer Singh** *M.Phil. Scholar, Department of Geography, Mewar University, Chittorgarh, Rajasthan, India **Assistant Professor, Department of Geography, Mewar University, Chittorgarh, Rajasthan, India Abstract: Flood is one of the most disastrous Haora District is a permanently flood prone area. climatological hazards which affect the human Several attempts have been made to reduce flood society in different way. Agricultural damage is hazards. But flood is still a serious problem and more common damage caused by flood anywhere almost every year this area facing huge amount of in the world. Huge rainfall, heavy bank full agricultural loss. The present study concerns discharge, loss of carrying capacity of river due to about the causes of flood, flood prone area, siltation causes inundation of levee or agricultural productivity in Amta-i, Amta-ii and embankment. Haora District which is situated in Udaynarayanpur Block of Haora District, and the Lower Damodar Area is affected by flood in almost study area which is mostly flood affected area of every year. Amta-i, Amta-ii and Udaynarayanpur Lower Damodar Region. Block of Haora District (the study area) are mostly flood affected area of this district due to inundation 2. Study Area of river Damodar. Flood in regular manner causes disruption of agricultural productivity of lower The study area (Fig.1) includes three Damodar area in Haora district. Flood hazard Community Development Blocks i. e. Amta-i, cannot be arrested totally but by adopting some Amta-ii and Udaynarayanpur of Haora district. structural and non-structural measures flood From the absolute point of view the specific study damages can be minimized. Though flood hazards area is located between 22° 30' 24" N to 22° 47' 2" damages crop roughly but flood also brings some N latitude and 87° 50' 24" E to 88° 4' 48" E blessings for crop production after flood event. longitude. The territorial extent of this study area is 365.60 Square Kilometres (as per census 2011). Key Words: Carrying Capacity, Huge Rainfall, These blocks are located in the north-western part Crop Damage Assessment, Crop Combination, of Haora district. On the west and south- western Crop Diversification, Crop Productivity part, the study area is bounded by the big river Rupnarayan, demarcating the common boundary of 1. Introduction Haora and Paschim Medinipur District. On the north the study area is bounded by Hugli district. Major ancient civilization such as Harappan Jagatballavpur and Panchla blocks of Haora district in the Indo Gangetic plain, the Egyptian in the Nile lie on eastern part of the study area. In the south Valley and the Sumerians in the Mesopotamia were there are Bagnan- i and Uluberia-ii blocks of Haora developed in riverine plain and these civilizations district. Damodar River flows through the middle were blessed by river flood in agricultural portion of the stated study area. productivity. But presently river created floods are seen as generator of hazards and sometimes 3. Objectives of the Study disaster and huge damages occur mostly in agricultural field. In West Bengal there are several The main objectives of this study are as follows- areas which are suffer from very intensive flood 1. To find out the causes of flood in Lower resulting huge crop damage, house damage, Damodar Area. damage of various physical infrastructure and 2. To identify flood characteristics in the study area rapture of various economic activity. West Bengal from 1978-2015 has 37,660 sq.km flood prone area (42.4% of the 3. To assess the amount of crop damage in the total geographical area) out of 88,752 sq. km of study area. total geographical area (Irrigation and Waterways 4. To analyses beneficial effect of flood in Deptt. Govt. of West Bengal, Annual Flood Report, agricultural productivity. 2013). Flood affected areas are spread in 111 blocks of West Bengal. Lower Damodar Basin in Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR) Page 274 Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR) Vol-3, Issue-4, 2017 ISSN: 2454-1362, http://www.onlinejournal.in 4. Data Base Udaynarayanpur community Development Block, Trans Damodar Drainage Sub-Division, Amta, This paper mainly based on published and Haora and District Statistical Handbook of Haora unpublished secondary data. Secondary data have District from Bureau of Applied Economics and been collected from Annual Flood Report for the Statistics, Government of West Bengal. 2013 from Irrigation and Waterways Directorate, Interviewing of local farmer has also been made for Government of West Bengal, Amta-i, Amta-ii and preparation of this paper. Location Map of the Study Area Fig.1 Source: Google Earth and District Planning Map, Survey of India 5. Causes of Flood in the study area during 1978-2015. In this period eleven years i.e. 1978, 1984, 1986, 1995, 1996, The main Causes of flood in the study area are 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2013 and 2015 as follows- rainfall occur more than 500 mm. Devastating flood occurred almost in the 1. In the monsoon month (June to same years and month when rainfall occur September) this area has received more than 500 mm in a month. excessive amount of rainfall. The study area of lower Damodar area has received 2. The waited perimeters of the river an average annual rainfall of 1516.66 mm Damodar have been reduced and carrying Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR) Page 275 Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR) Vol-3, Issue-4, 2017 ISSN: 2454-1362, http://www.onlinejournal.in capacity of Damodar has also been DVC reservoirs has reduced. For this decreased. reason, DVC administration is forced to release water from dams and barrages 3. Due to gentle longitudinal slope which causes flood in lower Damodar area 2feet/1500 feet to 2feet/1 mile of the study of Haora District. area of lower Damodar area the drainage capacity is very low. 6. Flood Characteristics of Lower Damodar Area-1978-2015 4. Damodar River has also lost carrying capacity due to huge siltation and sand A memorable flood was occurred in the year 1978 deposition. A mid channel bar formed on not only in lower Damodar area but also in all over the mouth of river Damodar, obstacle in West Bengal. So, flood characteristics in lower free flow of water through Amta Channel. Damodar area has been discussed from 1978 to 2015. The P.D.L (Primary Danger Level), D.L 5. In the days of new moon and full moon (Danger Level) and E.D.L (Extreme Danger Level) during rainy season, the spring tide occurs of Damodar at Amta Gauge Station are 5.03 in Rupnarayan river and crosses extreme metres, 5.64 metres and 6.24 metres respectively. danger level (5.54 meters). In this period of time only five years during the 6. Ex-Zamindari bundhs which were made of monsoon season i.e. 1979,1982,1983,1992 and soft clay and sandy soil has been breach 2010 the gauge height did not cross the P.D.L. Out and flood water enters into the area of thirty eight years from 1978 to 2015, twenty closed by the embankments. For this nine years the gauge height at Amta Gauge Station reason flood water cannot flow down riches above the D.L. It is very significant that quickly from this area. during the same period of time gauge height at Amta Gauge Station cross the E.D.L. twenty eight 7. After construction of dams and barrages years. Maximum gauge height found in the flood over Damodar and its tributaries flood time of 1978 when gauge height cross the E.D.L. carrying capacity of the river has reduced and riches up to 8.08 metres. Second and third due to siltation and the reserve capacity of highest gauge height has found during the flood event of 2007 and 2006 when the gauge height over Fig. 2. Gauge Height of Damodar River at Amta Gauge Station, 1978-2015 Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR) Page 276 Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR) Vol-3, Issue-4, 2017 ISSN: 2454-1362, http://www.onlinejournal.in Fig. 3. Relationship between discharge and Gauge Height at Amta Gauge Station of Lower Damodar Region during 2000-2015 Damodar at Amta gauge Station were 7.05 metres level it damages the crops in the lower Damodar and 6.95 metres respectively. Gauge height of region. Damodar at Amta Station is closely connected with rainfall in a short duration of time and discharge 7. Crop Damage Due to Flood from Durgapur Barrage. Devastating flood occurred almost in the same years and month when Crop damage is one of the atrocious damage rainfall happens 500 mm in a month. Release from caused by flood. In every flood year crop especially Durgapur Barrage is very important for flood Aman Paddy and Kharif Vegetables damaged due intensification. The discharge and gauge height of to enormous flood water. Table No. 1 shows the the Damodar River show a positive relationship (r damaged crop area and damaged crop value in = 0.351) at Amta Gauge Station. When gauge 2013 and 2015 of the study area. height reaches at danger level and extreme danger Table No. 1: Crop Damages During Floods of 2013 and 2015 Blocks Years 2013 2015 Area in hectares Value in Lakhs Area in hectares Value in Lakhs Amta-i - - 5300 15,86,26,448 Amta-ii 2249 543.915 6605 756.44 Udaynarayanpur 4913 1366.76 5607 1801.5 Source: Office of the Block Development Officer, Amta-I, Amta-ii and Udaynarayanpur, Haora.