Advances in Asian Human-Environmental Research

Advances in Asian Human-Environmental Research Series Editor Prof. Marcus Nüsser, South Asia Institute, University of Heidelberg, Germany Editorial Board Prof. Eckart Ehlers, University of Bonn, Germany Prof. Harjit Singh, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India Prof. Hermann Kreutzmann, Freie Universität Berlin, Germany Prof. Ken Hewitt, Waterloo University, Canada Prof. Urs Wiesmann, University of Bern, Switzerland Prof. Sarah J. Halvorson, University of Montana, USA Dr. Daanish Mustafa, King’s College London, UK Aims and Scope The series aims at fostering the discussion on the complex relationships between physical landscapes, natural resources, and their modifi cation by human land use in various environments of Asia. It is widely acknowledged that human-environment interactions become increasingly important in area studies and development research, taking into account regional differences as well as bio-physical, socioeco- nomic and cultural particularities. The book series seeks to explore theoretic and conceptual refl ection on dynamic human-environment systems applying advanced methodology and innovative research perspectives. The main themes of the series cover urban and rural landscapes in Asia. Examples include topics such as land and forest degradation, gla- ciers in Asia, mountain environments, dams in Asia, medical geography, vulnerability and mitigation strategies, natural hazards and risk management concepts, environmental change, impacts studies and consequences for local communities. The relevant themes of the series are mainly focused on geographical research perspectives of area studies, however there is scope for interdisciplinary contributions. More information about this series at http://www.springer.com/series/8560 Shreya Bandyopadhyay • Sunil Kumar De Human Interference on River Health A Study on the Haora River, Tripura, India Shreya Bandyopadhyay Sunil Kumar De Department of Geography Department of Geography Adamas University North-Eastern Hill University Kolkata , West Bengal , India Shillong , Meghalaya , India ISSN 1879-7180 ISSN 1879-7199 (electronic) Advances in Asian Human-Environmental Research ISBN 978-3-319-41017-3 ISBN 978-3-319-41018-0 (eBook) DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-41018-0 Library of Congress Control Number: 2016953491 © Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2017 This work is subject to copyright. All rights are reserved by the Publisher, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifi cally the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfi lms or in any other physical way, and transmission or information storage and retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar or dissimilar methodology now known or hereafter developed. The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specifi c statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use. The publisher, the authors and the editors are safe to assume that the advice and information in this book are believed to be true and accurate at the date of publication. Neither the publisher nor the authors or the editors give a warranty, express or implied, with respect to the material contained herein or for any errors or omissions that may have been made. Cover image: Nomads near Nanga Parbat, 1995. Copyright © Marcus Nüsser (used with permission) Printed on acid-free paper This Springer imprint is published by Springer Nature The registered company is Springer International Publishing AG Switzerland Dedicated to the souls lost in different natural hazards Foreword River health is a new discipline in geomorphology and hydrology. There is hardly any book on the subject excepting a few research papers. As geomorphologists, we never lose sight of human life so that our subject falls within the fi eld of applied geomorphology. This book offers a comprehensive overview of the knowledge necessary for water management in the best interest of societies. Human health is closely related to the health of rivers humans depend on for a living. Rivers are vital for human life. They supply freshwater for domestic as well as agricultural and industrial uses, produce fertile fl oodplains, and are used as an important mode of inland communication. Thus, we should take necessary steps to preserve the health of rivers. The present book entitled Human Interference on River Health: A Study on the Haora River, Tripura, India , authored by Shreya Bandyopadhyay and Sunil Kumar De, is defi nitely a breakthrough on the subject as well as in the area of study. The book is well designed in 11 chapters, covering almost all parameters of river health. The most signifi cant aspect of the book is that the authors have applied the concept of river health to a river fl owing through two neighboring countries, India and Bangladesh. I hope that this work will encourage geomorphologists and hydrologists to study the health condition of all the major rivers of the world. In fi ne, I believe that the book will open new perspectives on the traditional studies of rivers and will be helpful to geomorphologists, hydrologists, environmentalists, and planners. President: International Association Prof. Eric Fouache of Geomorphologists (IAG/AIG) Vice Chancellor: Paris Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, UAE vii Pref ace Traditionally the term ‘river health’ is depended solely on the measurement of physical, chemical and some biological characteristics of the river. It is usually applied to the assessment of river condition and often found as analogous to human health. River health is exclusively a new branch both in geomorphology and hydrology as well as in environmental science. In the present book, the authors tried to defi ne the term ‘river health’ and do an exhaustive study on the Haora River, which is fl owing between two countries, India and Bangladesh. The Haora River is treated as the lifeline of Agartala, the capital city of Tripura. Originating from the Baramura Hills, the river debouches onto the rolling plain at Chandrasadhubari near the NH 44. Thousands of people between Chandrasadhubari and the boundary of Bangladesh have been settled along the riverbank and directly dependent on the river. Since 1950, the ever-growing population of the Haora River basin is exerting tremendous pressure on the Haora River. Several anthropogenic activities which are going on along the river are increasing the sedimentation and the pollution problem of the river and leading the Haora River to its dying phase. Therefore, the present study has been undertaken to fi nd out the problems related to the overall health of the Haora River and to bring out some possible suggestions for restoring ecological balance and geopolitical stability of this strategically important part of the country. The present book is a complete reference on river health, which covers almost all aspects of the subject. Moreover, a low-cost and effective method has been intro- duced in the book on estimating BEVZ (bank erosion vulnerability zonation). We hope and believe that the book will be benefi cial for all the researchers and students of fl uvial geomorphology, hydrology and environmental science and at the same it will serve the purpose of the planners and administrators to take proper necessary measures to save any river. First and foremost we are thankful to Prof. D. K. Nayak, Dean, School of Human and Environmental Sciences, North-Eastern Hill University to encourage us to work on River Health, which is defi nitely a branch of Geomorphology and Hydrology. We are thankful to the Chief Minister of Tripura Sri Manik Sarkar, Former Vice ix x Preface Chancellor of Tripura University Prof. Arunodoy Saha, present Vice Chancellor of Tripura University Prof. Anajan Kumar Ghosh, Faculty Members and Research Scholars of the Department of Geography and Disaster Management, Tripura University and different Government and Non-government offi cials for their encour- agement, help and cooperation in completing the present work. We would also like to thank to the Tripura State Pollution Control Board, specially Prof. Mihir Deb, Chairman, for their co-operation in collecting and testing the water samples of different places along the Haora River and also from different time periods. We are also thankful to Prof. Marcus Nüsser of the Department of Geography, South Asia Institute, Heidelberg University, Germany for reviewing the book thor- oughly and given suggestions for upgrading the work. Last but not the least, we are indebted to the individuals of the Springer Publishing Company for extending their help and cooperation in publishing the book. Kolkata , India Shreya Bandyopadhyay Shillong , India Sunil Kumar De Contents 1 Introduction ............................................................................................. 1 1.1 River Health ................................................................................... 1 1.2 The Problem ................................................................................... 2 1.3 Past Works...................................................................................... 4 1.3.1 Earlier Published Works on Different Issues Related to the Haora River ............................................... 4 1.3.2 Human Population Growth and Its Impact on the River Basin ...........................................................

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