Journal of Information and Computational Science ISSN: 1548-7741 Temporal pattern of land use changes in Nalbari District of Assam, India Binita Devi 1, Dr. M.Gopal Singh2 1Assistant Professor, Dept. of Geography, Nalbari College, Nalbari Research Scholar : Department of Geography, Gauhati University, Assam ,India 2HoD, P.G. Department of Geography, Bikali College, Dhupdhara, Assam,India. Abstract: Land is a limited resource with increasing substantial demands placed on it. In modern age, man has extended his activities to all possible areas to fulfill the ever-increasing need and aspirations of mankind and thus, the use of land extended both vertically and horizontally. Rapid transformation has been observed in respect to the concept of land use with enriched information, improved technologies and their need of mankind. Land use and land management practices have a major impact on natural resources including water, soil, nutrients, plants and animals. Nalbari district of Assam ,India is situated between 26010/and 26051/ N latitude and 91007/E and 910 47/ E longitudes. Nalbari district occupies an area of 1052 square K.M. The north and west side of the district is bounded by Baksa and Barpeta district respectively. The southern and eastern side of the district is bounded by Kamrup district. The entire area of the district is situated at the plains of the Brahmaputra valley. The soil condition of the district is a heterogeneous one. The district has a sub-tropical climate with semi dry hot summer and cold winter. The district is comprised of nine (9) revenue circle with a total population of 771639 as per 2011 census. The total geographical area of Nalbari district is 1, 00,957 hectare. The largest block of the district is Barkhetri which comprises total geographical area of 33,071 hectare i. e, about 32.7% of the area of the district. The district has 66.57% cultivable and 61.14% cultivated area of the total area respectively. Though the district comprises 2.6% of state’s geographical area, it has 5.46% and 4.96% of the state’s net and gross cropped areas respectively. The district has 4.67% cultivable wasteland, which may be used for agricultural production. About 4.5% of the total area is fallen land and 9.72% of total geographical area is put to non-agricultural areas. The land use pattern of Nalbari district is getting transformation in the recent years. This study attempts to analyze current land uses and the changing pattern of land utilization in Nalbari district. Key word: Nalbari District, Changing, Land use, pattern. Introduction: Land utilization is considered as important and impetuous on natural resources including water, soil, nutrients, plants and animals. Land use information can be used to develop solutions for resource management and for development and planning. For instance, water bodies 70 Volume 13 Issue 6 – 2020 www.joics.net Journal of Information and Computational Science ISSN: 1548-7741 in a region that has been deforested or having erosion will have different water quality than those in areas that are forested. Forest gardening is considered to be the oldest form of land use in the world. Proper land resource management is fundamental to ensure food security of a country.According to FAO(1995) land may be defined as “a delineable area of the earth‟s terrestrial surface, including those of the near surface climate, the soil and terrain forms, the surface hydrology (including shallow lakes, rivers, marshes and swamps), near surface sedimentary layers and associated groundwater reserve, the plant and animal populations, the human settlement pattern and physical results of past and present human activity (terracing, water storage or drainage structures, roads, building, etc.).The effectiveness of land is controlled by the great trinity- Nature, Culture and Man and in this regard, Prof. Zimmerman (1951) asserts: “Land in the sense of totality of natural contribution is not fixed but highly dynamic. It never stands still. It changes constantly in response to the impact of changing human attitudes, and actions and, above all, of ever changing culture”. Land Utilization pattern is crucial as it provide important ecosystem services such as watershed protection, biodiversity conservation and carbon sequestration. Land utilization impacts future generations and plays an important role in socio- political and economic status of a place. This study attempts to analyze the land use changes of Nalbari district of Assam. Objectives: The main objectives of this study are: 1)To study the present land use pattern of Nalbari district; 2) To analyze the land use changes of Nalbari town in the recent decades. Data base and methodology: To fulfill the objectives of the present study, a range of secondary academic texts are collected. The present study reviewed literatures, documents, and reports and also used spatial datasets. Moreover, the secondary data are collected from various sources like Census of India Hand book of 1991, 2001, and 2011 and statistical Handbook and Office of the Deputy Commissioner, Nalbari District, District Agriculture office besides different other offices. The study is conducted with a view to generate primary data and information relating to the study area as well as to relate them with secondary data. The study of topographical characteristics and land use / land cover is carried out using topographical map and satellite imageries. Besides, statistical and cartographic tools and techniques including GIS software are used for presentation and analysis of the data. Study area: Nalbari District is located between 26°N to 26.51°N Latitude and 91°E to 91.47°E Longitude. The north and west side of the district is bounded by Baska and Barpeta district respectively. The south and east side of the district is bounded by Kamrup District. The district is now having an area of 1009.57 sq km 71 Volume 13 Issue 6 – 2020 www.joics.net Journal of Information and Computational Science ISSN: 1548-7741 consisting of 3 nos. Civil Sub-Division, 7 nos. Revenue Circle, 7 nos. Community Development Blocks and 65 nos. Gaon Panchayats covering 471 villages. The study area i. e, the Nalbari District is situated in lower middle part of Assam and Agro climatically on the eastern part of Lower Brahmaputra Valley zone. As per 2011 census, the total population of the district is 771639 and out of which, 617311 (79.9%) lives in rural areas and 154328(20.1%) in urban areas. The sex ratio is 931 female per thousand males. Analysis and findings: The total geographical area of Nalbari district is 1, 00,957 hectare. The largest block of the district is Barkhetri which comprises total geographical area of 33,071 hectare i. e, about 32.7% of the area of the district. 72 Volume 13 Issue 6 – 2020 www.joics.net Journal of Information and Computational Science ISSN: 1548-7741 Table 1: Land use pattern of Nalbari District,2017 Name of the Total Area under Agriculture Area Area Area Development Geographical under under under GCA NSA AST CI (%) Block Area (Ha) Forest Wasteland Other Uses Barbhag 6792.00 6094 4158.76 1935.24 146.53 - 255.28 2377.96 Barkhetri 33071.00 43386 21575 21811 201.09 - 2894.00 8602.00 BorigogBanbhag 15867.00 12846 10883 1963 118.09 - 433.29 4550.71 Madhupur 7386.00 7042 4986 2056 141.24 - 58 2342.00 Pachim Nalbari 13667.00 12784 10400.7 2383.3 122.91 - 563.60 2702.70 Pub Nalbari 12888.00 11335 966.7 1668 117.25 - 110.00 3111.00 Tihu 11286.00 9744 7679 2065 126.89 - 58.36 3548.64 Total 100957 103231 69349.46 33881.54 148.86 - 4372.53 27235.00 Source: Directorate of Economics and Statistics, Nalbari N.B.TGA=Total Geographical Area, GCA= Gross Cropped Area, NSA= Net Sown Area, AST= Area sown more than once. Among the blocks , Net Sown Area and Cropping Intensity is found highest in Barkhetri Development Block.Net Sown area and Cropping Intensity is found lowest in Pub Nalbari Development Block. Table 2: Changing land use pattern of Nalbari district( 1998-2016) (Area in Hectare) Total Area Barren Permanent Land Cultiv Fallow Curre Net Year geographi Forest under and pastures under able land nt sown cal area( non uncultivab and other miscell Waste other fallow area in hectare) agricultu le land grazing aneous land than ral uses tree current crops fallow 100,957 Nil 19925 6400 1338 582 1907 3302 99 67730 2016 ha. 2008 98429 ha 122 12336 6994 424 6641 2252 3926 723 56071 1998 225700 ha 17616 17066 6911 21236 1586 1188 4274 2416 .1822 58 Source: District Agriculture Office, Nalbari and Directorate of Economics & Statistics , Nalbari 73 Volume 13 Issue 6 – 2020 www.joics.net Journal of Information and Computational Science ISSN: 1548-7741 The district has 66.57% cultivable and 61.14% cultivated area of the total area respectively. Though the district comprises 2.6% of state‟s geographical area, it has 5.46% and 4.96% of the state‟s net and gross cropped areas respectively. The district has 4.67% cultivable wasteland, which may be used for agricultural production. About 4.5% of the total area is fallen land and 9.72% of total geographical area is put to non-agricultural areas. Nalbari was formed as a subdivision of undivided Kamrup District till 1 st April, 1967,which covers an area of 2022.8sq.Km. In 1971 the total population was 699814. However, in the year 1985 a new Nalbari district was carved out of the erstwhile Kamrup District on August 14 from the existing Nalbari Subdivision with all the five circles and one sub circle. In the year 2003 four new districts were created in Assam and Baska district was one of them and 363 Village of Nalbari district curved out to Baska District.