Urban communities around the globe are confronting with everexpanding challenges. These challenge... more Urban communities around the globe are confronting with everexpanding challenges. These challenges are being driven by, and exacerbated by, increments in urban population and environmental change. Urban areas grow perseveringly while fears of an unnatural weather change and ecological calamity loom ever more prominent, and the 'green' or 'sustainable city' is playing a significant role in planning and policy discourse to manage the emerging situations. In this context recently published book Blue infrastructure: Natural History, Political Ecology and Urban Development in Kolkata, by Jenia Mukherjee takes a 'longuedurée approach' to deal with catching the dynamicity of the delta through nuanced investigations of the steady exchange among land, water, and mud. It uncovers how this space could decide, and thus get dictated by, political power, finance, and social livelihoods across changing temporal directions and moving towards political-financial goals that convey long-term suggestions for sustainability. The author has used 'Historical Urban Political Ecology' (HUPE) as a perspective to contextualize the "urban nature" with special reference to Kolkata and beyond.
A recent report by the US-based Health Effects Institute (HEI) identified Delhi and Kolkata as th... more A recent report by the US-based Health Effects Institute (HEI) identified Delhi and Kolkata as the cities with the highest exposure to hazardous fine particulate matter (PM2.5). To address this issue, regulatory measures have been in place in Kolkata since 2018 to comply with the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). This study examines PM2.5 levels in the Kolkata Metropolitan Area (KMA) and surrounding regions from 2021 to 2023, focusing on the associated human health risks. Findings reveal that transportation, households, and industries are the primary sources of PM2.5, with contributions varying across the metropolitan area. Mean and median PM2.5 concentrations are highest in Kolkata and nearby areas, including Bidhannagore and New Town Kolkata. Seasonal trends show elevated PM2.5 levels during both winter and summer.
Urban ponds play a critical role in sustaining ecological balance, enhancing urban resilience, an... more Urban ponds play a critical role in sustaining ecological balance, enhancing urban resilience, and promoting community well-being. However, the rapid expansion of urban settlements has resulted in the gradual degradation and conversion of these water bodies, leading to significant environmental impacts, including biodiversity loss. This study investigates the transformation of urban pondscapes within Serampore Municipality, located in the Kolkata Metropolitan Area (KMA). A total of 191 ponds were identified and classified using Google Earth satellite imagery, field surveys, and statistical analysis. The ponds were categorized based on their size, condition, and usage, with field observations used to assess their health. Descriptive statistical methods were employed to analyze the distribution and size variations of these ponds. Additionally, secondary data on water quality parameters, such as turbidity and chlorophyll levels, were analyzed to evaluate the overall ecological health of the ponds. The results indicate a marked decline in the number of ponds, with nine ponds having been converted into built-up areas between 2011 and 2024. These findings underscore the adverse effects of urbanization on blue infrastructure and highlight the inadequacies of current policies in safeguarding urban water bodies. The evidence calls for stronger policy interventions and the adoption of sustainable urban planning practices to protect and conserve these vital aquatic resources. Without the proper management of urban ponds, the environmental and social functions they provide will continue to deteriorate, posing further risks to urban ecosystems and human health. Enhanced governance, alongside the integration of blue infrastructure into urban planning frameworks, is crucial for mitigating these challenges and ensuring the resilience of urban landscapes.
Journal of Indian Association for Environmental Management, , 2024
A recent report from the US-based Health Effects Institute (HEI) has identified Delhi and Kolkata... more A recent report from the US-based Health Effects Institute (HEI) has identified Delhi and Kolkata as the two most polluted cities, in terms of exposure to hazardous fine particulate matter (PM2.5). In order to tackle this issue, regulatory measures were implemented in Kolkata in 2018 to meet the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). This study aims to analyze the levels of PM2.5 in the Kolkata Metropolitan Area (KMA) from 2021 to 2023. The findings indicate that the main sources of PM2.5 are transportation, households, and industries, although their contributions vary across the metropolitan area. The mean and median concentrations of PM2.5 are highest in Kolkata and its adjacent areas, including Bidhannagore and New Town Kolkata. Additionally, it has been observed that PM2.5 levels remain high during both winter and summer seasons.
India is urbanising at a very fast rate and consequently its mobility needs are growing exponenti... more India is urbanising at a very fast rate and consequently its mobility needs are growing exponentially. This prolific growth of automobiles is increasing the fuel import bill as well as severely polluting the environment. A shift to Electric Vehicles (EV) from Internal Combustion Engine vehicles (ICE) is the way out of this problem. Accordingly, the Indian EV market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 94.4% from 2021 to 2030. In this paper we have made our analysis based on aspects includes a brief policy review and a comparison cost between EV and Internal Combustion Engine vehicles. In order to promote the sale of EVs in the Indian market, the government has launched the FAME (Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid and Electric vehicles) scheme in India, as part of the National Electric Mobility Mission Plan (NEMMP) 2020, under which, the government will provide certain incentives to lower the purchasing cost of electric vehicles. The policy framework proposes both fiscal and non-fiscal measures to promote EVs in India. The EV sector in India faces infrastructural and financial challenges as well as shortages of raw materials for batteries. It is found that adoption of EVs in the 2-wheeler and 4-wheeler personalized vehicle segment can lead to substantial fuel cost, maintenance cost and CO2 emissions cost savings.
Introduced by the West Bengal government in 2012, Kanyashree Prakalpa (KP) is unique. A condition... more Introduced by the West Bengal government in 2012, Kanyashree Prakalpa (KP) is unique. A conditional cash transfer program for adolescent girls ages 13 to 19. This program has two purposes. Promote secondary education for women and end marriage for girls before the age of 18. This paper attempted to see the impacts of the scheme on the social development of the state. From the analysis, it is revealed that after the introduction of the program child marriage significantly decreased in a few districts but it is still practiced in most of the districts. In addition, the scheme failed to reach the remote corners of the districts and to the marginal groups.
Planning of the peri-urban area is one of the significant challenges in coming decades that most ... more Planning of the peri-urban area is one of the significant challenges in coming decades that most of third world cities have to face. Rajarhat New Town a recently developed major planned satellite township located in the peri urban areas of Kolkata. Township project was officially announced by the government of west Bengal on the 1st June 1995. The paper have two main sections first part dealt with the evolution of the peri-urban areas of Kolkata and second part composed of the brief history of Rajarhat area, land acquisition process and the role of the state, urbanization process and its socioeconomic implications of the Rajarhat with special emphasis on environment destruction.
It is predicted that 91% of the normal increment of world's urban populace will happen in develop... more It is predicted that 91% of the normal increment of world's urban populace will happen in developing nations. Due to this population increase, urban setups accompany various very much distinguished, explicit risks: poor urban and regional planning, absence of coordination and lacking adapting procedures even with social and monetary inconsistencies (UN-Habitat 2012). The test that lies in front of the administrations is to grow reasonably, guaranteeing intergenerational and intra-generational equity (Vernica 2014). This intrinsically implies the national and sub-national government frameworks ought to become resident driven, socially comprehensive and participatory and in particular just. This carries us to that reality that while working for the residents, the administration needs to guarantee what the residents need. Their suppositions ought to be voiced, not through moderator but directly by themselves to the government. Just an immediate collaboration through various modes can guarantee that the correct point of view is thought of and can be examined upon. Scholars argue that e-governance in urban area can be a step forward to the inclusive as well as participatory democracy (Yadav and Tiwari 2014). It is because the old master plan of cities has no relationships with governance structures. Therefore, participation in egovernance is going to be a crucial aspect for its success. In any case, in the writing, Suh (2007) provided details regarding reasons for low e-participation. The main source was if suppositions proposed by residents through government instruments were not appropriately reflected, residents could feel estranged and lose enthusiasm for the adequacy of the approach being referred to. The subsequent reason was culture, resident mindfulness and customary practices. The third reason was the computerized partition which forestalled e-participation. The fourth reason was absence of an
This paper focuses on number of aspects of urban centers of West Bengal. It shows that small and ... more This paper focuses on number of aspects of urban centers of West Bengal. It shows that small and intermediate towns are negatively growing and big and large city are positively growing. Population share of small, intermediate and Million plus city is decreasing while it's increasing in case of big and large city. Therefore people are staying more in large city compare to million cities. It may be due to higher cost of living in million city while poor service and infrastructure in case of small and intermediate towns. Urban area both in percent and share has very high correlation with level of urbanization. Dispersion of urban population is also a remarkable and it is highly correlated with number of small scale industry units which helps to transform the small towns and surrounding rural areas economy. But lack of infrastructure in small and intermediate town is major problem and there is no major programme or strategy to develop small and intermediate town more attractive.
The paper examines the enrollment of rural primary school of West Bengal and its Physical Infrast... more The paper examines the enrollment of rural primary school of West Bengal and its Physical Infrastructure using the data of District Information System for Education data (DISE) 2012-13. It also tries to explore the relationship between the enrollment and school physical infrastructure. School infrastructure includes the drinking water facility, presence of the library at school, accessibility of functioning toilet for both girls and boys, midday meal scheme, availability of electricity, playground and separate kitchen at the school. High enrollment in some districts indicates the presence of fictitious student. It is found that there is a high correlation between enrollment and school physical infrastructure, midday meal, drinking water and presence of a teacher at the school is crucial for high enrollment at the rural primary school.
The paper investigates the spatial and temporal growth pattern of the census towns. This is a rur... more The paper investigates the spatial and temporal growth pattern of the census towns. This is a rural area and not recognized as town by the state. Secondly to find out that census towns are product of agglomeration economies across all districts of west Bengal. Thirdly to investigate the spatial inequality of access to the basic services of this spatially transformed area and make a comparison with statutory urban area of the state. West Bengal is one of the most urbanized states of India. According to the 2011 census West Bengal has 31.87 percent of urban population and it was 27.48 percent in 1991. Therefore more than 4 percent increase of urban population within two decades. Growth of census town from 1981 to 2011 is 16.43 percent. It is apparent from the study that census town close the KMA (Kolkata Metropolitan Area) have greater accessibility of service. While in case of backward districts urban services are poor in both census and statutory town.
It is well researched that peri urban interface of Indian metropolitan cities are experiencing a ... more It is well researched that peri urban interface of Indian metropolitan cities are experiencing a major transformation. Transformations of peri-urban interface are results of different factors including development of transit road at peri urban interface. Peri-urban interface of Kolkata metropolitan area is facing a major challenge with respect to planning and governance. This paper presented a case study and highlighted transformation of peri-urban interface through development of logistics hub along the transits. Old planning strategies failed to prevent haphazard growth in the area. So the article argues for new policies and strategies to manage such peri-urban interface. Keywords: Peri-urban interface, logistics hub, urban growth, metropolitan area
Journal of Indian Association of Environmental Management, 2023
Municipal Solid Waste Management (MSWM), is a key component of sustainable urban development, and... more Municipal Solid Waste Management (MSWM), is a key component of sustainable urban development, and involves segregation, storage, collection, relocation, transportation, treatment, and disposal. With the growing number of urban population, Indian cities will have to face different challenges ranging from environmental pollution to solid waste management. The three megacities of Mumbai, Delhi and Kolkata generate thousands of tons of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) every day. The amount of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) is expected to increase significantly in the near future as the country becomes more urbanized. Within this context, this paper made an attempt to assess the solid waste management situation in ULBs of Kolkata Metropolitan Area (KMA). It is found that there is a huge gap between waste generation and collection between the different local bodies. Most municipalities do not segregate their waste while collecting waste from the household. As a result, processing of waste has become impossible. Apart from this, almost 50 percent of municipalities do not have a dumpsite. Only a few municipalities have a composting plant in operation.
With the rapid urbanization, Indian cities along with its peri-urban interfaces encounters differ... more With the rapid urbanization, Indian cities along with its peri-urban interfaces encounters different challenges ranging from pollution to environmental degradation to loss of local ecosystem and displacement as well as dispossession of erstwhile livelihood. Peri-urban interface are characterized by coexistence of rural urban activities, different land uses and heterogeneity of economic activities. Peri-urban interface are particularly volatile and dynamic in this regard, with urbanization seen as a major driver of economic growth and a precursor to socio-spatial change from rural to urban. Therefore, several strategies have been adopted in the form of programs to reshape the landscape and overcome the challenges. New Town Kolkata is very recently developed planned township and encounter different challenges from the time of its inception. The township initially adopted smart city mission project, declared by the union government in 2014, for the development of the township. However, off late they rejected the smart city mission project and adopted Green city mission, introduced by the government of West Bengal in 2017 for the development of infrastructure in the township. This paper, takes a broad political economy approach to explore the socio-spatial changes occurred in and around the New Town Kolkata. The paper also compares the smart city mission and green city mission and its shortcoming as well as its impacts on the New town Kolkata. Lastly, the study explores the changing land use and ecological consequences faced by the people. The study reveals that the visualization of New Town Kolkata as ‘global hub’ could not create new livelihood opportunities to people living around the townships. Keywords: Peri-urban interface, planned townships, sustainability, smart city mission
The Smart City Mission (SCM) in India is one of the highly publicized projects that focus on the ... more The Smart City Mission (SCM) in India is one of the highly publicized projects that focus on the 'digital transformation' of the cities and towns across India. However, policy analysts and scholars have raised questions and concerns regarding such a transformation. They question whether the smart city mission at all fulfills the pressing needs of towns and cities or not? New Town Kolkata is one of the cities in West Bengal which initially adopted the SCM, but later rejected the programme. They adopted a new state-funded project called Green City Mission (GCM). Within this context, it tries to focus on the shortcomings of the smart city mission and how cities in peri-urban interface like new town Kolkata are transformed and encounter different challenges. In addition, this paper also analyzed the newly announced green city mission of West Bengal and tried to understand the differences and similarities of both the projects. The paper reveals that such projects failed to create employment opportunities not only for the people of the town but also for the people of the surrounding villages.
Key words: Smart City, Green City, Digital Transformation, Peri-Urban
The Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS 2017-18) reported that in 2017-18, 49.9 percent of the tot... more The Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS 2017-18) reported that in 2017-18, 49.9 percent of the total workforce was engaged in agriculture compared to 55.3 percent in 2011-12. The reliance on agriculture for livelihoods is declining rapidly in India. Moreover, NABARD Financial Inclusion Survey 2018 find out that in farm households, income from agriculture and livestock constituted only 43 percent of the total income, rendering agriculture a less important activity. Within this broad context this paper tried to look at the two forest fringe village livelihood practices and their challenges. The study is based on field survey of Jalpaiguri district of West Bengal. It is found that despite forest fringe villagers they do not participate any forest management programs as well as they do not have any customary rights over forest resources. Apart from agriculture they practice agro-forestry as well as livestock farming for their livelihood.
Migration and forced migration studies have emerged as an interdisciplinary field of study, to be... more Migration and forced migration studies have emerged as an interdisciplinary field of study, to be reckoned with in most university and school systems, across disciplines and continents. From the study of histories of migration (induced by colonialism, slavery or epidemics) to reading present day population patterns, from analysing the contributions of migrants to a national economy to exploring narratives of refugees and migrants-migration and forced migration are now key components in different established disciplines: History, Demography, Geography, Political Science and International Relations, Anthropology, Literary and Cultural Studies, Economics, and many more. This is both a response to our contemporary history, marked by massive flows and displacements of people and a recognition of the importance of recording, researching and teaching migration. In December 2021, CRG and IWM organised a Two-Day Teachers' Workshop on Research Methodology and Syllabus Making, with participants from all over India and virtual panellists from Europe, Australia and other parts of Asia (see report here: http://www.mcrg.ac.in/IWM_Migration/Report%20Teachers'%20Workshop.pdf). This was followed up by Reading Refugees, Reading Migration: An (Online) Orientation Course for College and University Teachers, in July-August 2021 where 27 teachers and 16 resource persons from different disciplinary and geographical locations explored the thematic and the problematic of migration studies, questions of methods, and, literary and cultural registers of migrants and refugees (see details here:http://www.mcrg.ac.in/IWM_Migration_2021/IWM_Migration_Teachers_2021.asp). The proposed Second Two-Day Teachers' workshop will frame a series of syllabi through world café and other consultative methods, keeping in mind that the syllabi for such an interdisciplinary field must always already be provisional, contingent and speaking to the teachers' and the students' intersectional locations. It will tackle questions of research methods, challenges in educating migrant and refugee students, issues of pedagogy, strategies for navigating bias and prejudice in the classroom, historical ownership of knowledge, etc., drawing upon experts in the field who have introduced and engaged with migration studies within institutional settings. [The lectures from Reading Refugees, Reading Migration have been uploaded to https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLBF-WP5vW1kvungtxBRGK4uNtRYQIkuBR] This workshop, supported by the Institute for Human Sciences, Vienna, is part of CRG's ongoing programme in migration and forced migration studies, supported by Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung, South Asia, IWM Vienna and several other universities and institutes in India.
Urban communities around the globe are confronting with everexpanding challenges. These challenge... more Urban communities around the globe are confronting with everexpanding challenges. These challenges are being driven by, and exacerbated by, increments in urban population and environmental change. Urban areas grow perseveringly while fears of an unnatural weather change and ecological calamity loom ever more prominent, and the 'green' or 'sustainable city' is playing a significant role in planning and policy discourse to manage the emerging situations. In this context recently published book Blue infrastructure: Natural History, Political Ecology and Urban Development in Kolkata, by Jenia Mukherjee takes a 'longuedurée approach' to deal with catching the dynamicity of the delta through nuanced investigations of the steady exchange among land, water, and mud. It uncovers how this space could decide, and thus get dictated by, political power, finance, and social livelihoods across changing temporal directions and moving towards political-financial goals that convey long-term suggestions for sustainability. The author has used 'Historical Urban Political Ecology' (HUPE) as a perspective to contextualize the "urban nature" with special reference to Kolkata and beyond.
A recent report by the US-based Health Effects Institute (HEI) identified Delhi and Kolkata as th... more A recent report by the US-based Health Effects Institute (HEI) identified Delhi and Kolkata as the cities with the highest exposure to hazardous fine particulate matter (PM2.5). To address this issue, regulatory measures have been in place in Kolkata since 2018 to comply with the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). This study examines PM2.5 levels in the Kolkata Metropolitan Area (KMA) and surrounding regions from 2021 to 2023, focusing on the associated human health risks. Findings reveal that transportation, households, and industries are the primary sources of PM2.5, with contributions varying across the metropolitan area. Mean and median PM2.5 concentrations are highest in Kolkata and nearby areas, including Bidhannagore and New Town Kolkata. Seasonal trends show elevated PM2.5 levels during both winter and summer.
Urban ponds play a critical role in sustaining ecological balance, enhancing urban resilience, an... more Urban ponds play a critical role in sustaining ecological balance, enhancing urban resilience, and promoting community well-being. However, the rapid expansion of urban settlements has resulted in the gradual degradation and conversion of these water bodies, leading to significant environmental impacts, including biodiversity loss. This study investigates the transformation of urban pondscapes within Serampore Municipality, located in the Kolkata Metropolitan Area (KMA). A total of 191 ponds were identified and classified using Google Earth satellite imagery, field surveys, and statistical analysis. The ponds were categorized based on their size, condition, and usage, with field observations used to assess their health. Descriptive statistical methods were employed to analyze the distribution and size variations of these ponds. Additionally, secondary data on water quality parameters, such as turbidity and chlorophyll levels, were analyzed to evaluate the overall ecological health of the ponds. The results indicate a marked decline in the number of ponds, with nine ponds having been converted into built-up areas between 2011 and 2024. These findings underscore the adverse effects of urbanization on blue infrastructure and highlight the inadequacies of current policies in safeguarding urban water bodies. The evidence calls for stronger policy interventions and the adoption of sustainable urban planning practices to protect and conserve these vital aquatic resources. Without the proper management of urban ponds, the environmental and social functions they provide will continue to deteriorate, posing further risks to urban ecosystems and human health. Enhanced governance, alongside the integration of blue infrastructure into urban planning frameworks, is crucial for mitigating these challenges and ensuring the resilience of urban landscapes.
Journal of Indian Association for Environmental Management, , 2024
A recent report from the US-based Health Effects Institute (HEI) has identified Delhi and Kolkata... more A recent report from the US-based Health Effects Institute (HEI) has identified Delhi and Kolkata as the two most polluted cities, in terms of exposure to hazardous fine particulate matter (PM2.5). In order to tackle this issue, regulatory measures were implemented in Kolkata in 2018 to meet the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). This study aims to analyze the levels of PM2.5 in the Kolkata Metropolitan Area (KMA) from 2021 to 2023. The findings indicate that the main sources of PM2.5 are transportation, households, and industries, although their contributions vary across the metropolitan area. The mean and median concentrations of PM2.5 are highest in Kolkata and its adjacent areas, including Bidhannagore and New Town Kolkata. Additionally, it has been observed that PM2.5 levels remain high during both winter and summer seasons.
India is urbanising at a very fast rate and consequently its mobility needs are growing exponenti... more India is urbanising at a very fast rate and consequently its mobility needs are growing exponentially. This prolific growth of automobiles is increasing the fuel import bill as well as severely polluting the environment. A shift to Electric Vehicles (EV) from Internal Combustion Engine vehicles (ICE) is the way out of this problem. Accordingly, the Indian EV market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 94.4% from 2021 to 2030. In this paper we have made our analysis based on aspects includes a brief policy review and a comparison cost between EV and Internal Combustion Engine vehicles. In order to promote the sale of EVs in the Indian market, the government has launched the FAME (Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid and Electric vehicles) scheme in India, as part of the National Electric Mobility Mission Plan (NEMMP) 2020, under which, the government will provide certain incentives to lower the purchasing cost of electric vehicles. The policy framework proposes both fiscal and non-fiscal measures to promote EVs in India. The EV sector in India faces infrastructural and financial challenges as well as shortages of raw materials for batteries. It is found that adoption of EVs in the 2-wheeler and 4-wheeler personalized vehicle segment can lead to substantial fuel cost, maintenance cost and CO2 emissions cost savings.
Introduced by the West Bengal government in 2012, Kanyashree Prakalpa (KP) is unique. A condition... more Introduced by the West Bengal government in 2012, Kanyashree Prakalpa (KP) is unique. A conditional cash transfer program for adolescent girls ages 13 to 19. This program has two purposes. Promote secondary education for women and end marriage for girls before the age of 18. This paper attempted to see the impacts of the scheme on the social development of the state. From the analysis, it is revealed that after the introduction of the program child marriage significantly decreased in a few districts but it is still practiced in most of the districts. In addition, the scheme failed to reach the remote corners of the districts and to the marginal groups.
Planning of the peri-urban area is one of the significant challenges in coming decades that most ... more Planning of the peri-urban area is one of the significant challenges in coming decades that most of third world cities have to face. Rajarhat New Town a recently developed major planned satellite township located in the peri urban areas of Kolkata. Township project was officially announced by the government of west Bengal on the 1st June 1995. The paper have two main sections first part dealt with the evolution of the peri-urban areas of Kolkata and second part composed of the brief history of Rajarhat area, land acquisition process and the role of the state, urbanization process and its socioeconomic implications of the Rajarhat with special emphasis on environment destruction.
It is predicted that 91% of the normal increment of world's urban populace will happen in develop... more It is predicted that 91% of the normal increment of world's urban populace will happen in developing nations. Due to this population increase, urban setups accompany various very much distinguished, explicit risks: poor urban and regional planning, absence of coordination and lacking adapting procedures even with social and monetary inconsistencies (UN-Habitat 2012). The test that lies in front of the administrations is to grow reasonably, guaranteeing intergenerational and intra-generational equity (Vernica 2014). This intrinsically implies the national and sub-national government frameworks ought to become resident driven, socially comprehensive and participatory and in particular just. This carries us to that reality that while working for the residents, the administration needs to guarantee what the residents need. Their suppositions ought to be voiced, not through moderator but directly by themselves to the government. Just an immediate collaboration through various modes can guarantee that the correct point of view is thought of and can be examined upon. Scholars argue that e-governance in urban area can be a step forward to the inclusive as well as participatory democracy (Yadav and Tiwari 2014). It is because the old master plan of cities has no relationships with governance structures. Therefore, participation in egovernance is going to be a crucial aspect for its success. In any case, in the writing, Suh (2007) provided details regarding reasons for low e-participation. The main source was if suppositions proposed by residents through government instruments were not appropriately reflected, residents could feel estranged and lose enthusiasm for the adequacy of the approach being referred to. The subsequent reason was culture, resident mindfulness and customary practices. The third reason was the computerized partition which forestalled e-participation. The fourth reason was absence of an
This paper focuses on number of aspects of urban centers of West Bengal. It shows that small and ... more This paper focuses on number of aspects of urban centers of West Bengal. It shows that small and intermediate towns are negatively growing and big and large city are positively growing. Population share of small, intermediate and Million plus city is decreasing while it's increasing in case of big and large city. Therefore people are staying more in large city compare to million cities. It may be due to higher cost of living in million city while poor service and infrastructure in case of small and intermediate towns. Urban area both in percent and share has very high correlation with level of urbanization. Dispersion of urban population is also a remarkable and it is highly correlated with number of small scale industry units which helps to transform the small towns and surrounding rural areas economy. But lack of infrastructure in small and intermediate town is major problem and there is no major programme or strategy to develop small and intermediate town more attractive.
The paper examines the enrollment of rural primary school of West Bengal and its Physical Infrast... more The paper examines the enrollment of rural primary school of West Bengal and its Physical Infrastructure using the data of District Information System for Education data (DISE) 2012-13. It also tries to explore the relationship between the enrollment and school physical infrastructure. School infrastructure includes the drinking water facility, presence of the library at school, accessibility of functioning toilet for both girls and boys, midday meal scheme, availability of electricity, playground and separate kitchen at the school. High enrollment in some districts indicates the presence of fictitious student. It is found that there is a high correlation between enrollment and school physical infrastructure, midday meal, drinking water and presence of a teacher at the school is crucial for high enrollment at the rural primary school.
The paper investigates the spatial and temporal growth pattern of the census towns. This is a rur... more The paper investigates the spatial and temporal growth pattern of the census towns. This is a rural area and not recognized as town by the state. Secondly to find out that census towns are product of agglomeration economies across all districts of west Bengal. Thirdly to investigate the spatial inequality of access to the basic services of this spatially transformed area and make a comparison with statutory urban area of the state. West Bengal is one of the most urbanized states of India. According to the 2011 census West Bengal has 31.87 percent of urban population and it was 27.48 percent in 1991. Therefore more than 4 percent increase of urban population within two decades. Growth of census town from 1981 to 2011 is 16.43 percent. It is apparent from the study that census town close the KMA (Kolkata Metropolitan Area) have greater accessibility of service. While in case of backward districts urban services are poor in both census and statutory town.
It is well researched that peri urban interface of Indian metropolitan cities are experiencing a ... more It is well researched that peri urban interface of Indian metropolitan cities are experiencing a major transformation. Transformations of peri-urban interface are results of different factors including development of transit road at peri urban interface. Peri-urban interface of Kolkata metropolitan area is facing a major challenge with respect to planning and governance. This paper presented a case study and highlighted transformation of peri-urban interface through development of logistics hub along the transits. Old planning strategies failed to prevent haphazard growth in the area. So the article argues for new policies and strategies to manage such peri-urban interface. Keywords: Peri-urban interface, logistics hub, urban growth, metropolitan area
Journal of Indian Association of Environmental Management, 2023
Municipal Solid Waste Management (MSWM), is a key component of sustainable urban development, and... more Municipal Solid Waste Management (MSWM), is a key component of sustainable urban development, and involves segregation, storage, collection, relocation, transportation, treatment, and disposal. With the growing number of urban population, Indian cities will have to face different challenges ranging from environmental pollution to solid waste management. The three megacities of Mumbai, Delhi and Kolkata generate thousands of tons of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) every day. The amount of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) is expected to increase significantly in the near future as the country becomes more urbanized. Within this context, this paper made an attempt to assess the solid waste management situation in ULBs of Kolkata Metropolitan Area (KMA). It is found that there is a huge gap between waste generation and collection between the different local bodies. Most municipalities do not segregate their waste while collecting waste from the household. As a result, processing of waste has become impossible. Apart from this, almost 50 percent of municipalities do not have a dumpsite. Only a few municipalities have a composting plant in operation.
With the rapid urbanization, Indian cities along with its peri-urban interfaces encounters differ... more With the rapid urbanization, Indian cities along with its peri-urban interfaces encounters different challenges ranging from pollution to environmental degradation to loss of local ecosystem and displacement as well as dispossession of erstwhile livelihood. Peri-urban interface are characterized by coexistence of rural urban activities, different land uses and heterogeneity of economic activities. Peri-urban interface are particularly volatile and dynamic in this regard, with urbanization seen as a major driver of economic growth and a precursor to socio-spatial change from rural to urban. Therefore, several strategies have been adopted in the form of programs to reshape the landscape and overcome the challenges. New Town Kolkata is very recently developed planned township and encounter different challenges from the time of its inception. The township initially adopted smart city mission project, declared by the union government in 2014, for the development of the township. However, off late they rejected the smart city mission project and adopted Green city mission, introduced by the government of West Bengal in 2017 for the development of infrastructure in the township. This paper, takes a broad political economy approach to explore the socio-spatial changes occurred in and around the New Town Kolkata. The paper also compares the smart city mission and green city mission and its shortcoming as well as its impacts on the New town Kolkata. Lastly, the study explores the changing land use and ecological consequences faced by the people. The study reveals that the visualization of New Town Kolkata as ‘global hub’ could not create new livelihood opportunities to people living around the townships. Keywords: Peri-urban interface, planned townships, sustainability, smart city mission
The Smart City Mission (SCM) in India is one of the highly publicized projects that focus on the ... more The Smart City Mission (SCM) in India is one of the highly publicized projects that focus on the 'digital transformation' of the cities and towns across India. However, policy analysts and scholars have raised questions and concerns regarding such a transformation. They question whether the smart city mission at all fulfills the pressing needs of towns and cities or not? New Town Kolkata is one of the cities in West Bengal which initially adopted the SCM, but later rejected the programme. They adopted a new state-funded project called Green City Mission (GCM). Within this context, it tries to focus on the shortcomings of the smart city mission and how cities in peri-urban interface like new town Kolkata are transformed and encounter different challenges. In addition, this paper also analyzed the newly announced green city mission of West Bengal and tried to understand the differences and similarities of both the projects. The paper reveals that such projects failed to create employment opportunities not only for the people of the town but also for the people of the surrounding villages.
Key words: Smart City, Green City, Digital Transformation, Peri-Urban
The Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS 2017-18) reported that in 2017-18, 49.9 percent of the tot... more The Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS 2017-18) reported that in 2017-18, 49.9 percent of the total workforce was engaged in agriculture compared to 55.3 percent in 2011-12. The reliance on agriculture for livelihoods is declining rapidly in India. Moreover, NABARD Financial Inclusion Survey 2018 find out that in farm households, income from agriculture and livestock constituted only 43 percent of the total income, rendering agriculture a less important activity. Within this broad context this paper tried to look at the two forest fringe village livelihood practices and their challenges. The study is based on field survey of Jalpaiguri district of West Bengal. It is found that despite forest fringe villagers they do not participate any forest management programs as well as they do not have any customary rights over forest resources. Apart from agriculture they practice agro-forestry as well as livestock farming for their livelihood.
Migration and forced migration studies have emerged as an interdisciplinary field of study, to be... more Migration and forced migration studies have emerged as an interdisciplinary field of study, to be reckoned with in most university and school systems, across disciplines and continents. From the study of histories of migration (induced by colonialism, slavery or epidemics) to reading present day population patterns, from analysing the contributions of migrants to a national economy to exploring narratives of refugees and migrants-migration and forced migration are now key components in different established disciplines: History, Demography, Geography, Political Science and International Relations, Anthropology, Literary and Cultural Studies, Economics, and many more. This is both a response to our contemporary history, marked by massive flows and displacements of people and a recognition of the importance of recording, researching and teaching migration. In December 2021, CRG and IWM organised a Two-Day Teachers' Workshop on Research Methodology and Syllabus Making, with participants from all over India and virtual panellists from Europe, Australia and other parts of Asia (see report here: http://www.mcrg.ac.in/IWM_Migration/Report%20Teachers'%20Workshop.pdf). This was followed up by Reading Refugees, Reading Migration: An (Online) Orientation Course for College and University Teachers, in July-August 2021 where 27 teachers and 16 resource persons from different disciplinary and geographical locations explored the thematic and the problematic of migration studies, questions of methods, and, literary and cultural registers of migrants and refugees (see details here:http://www.mcrg.ac.in/IWM_Migration_2021/IWM_Migration_Teachers_2021.asp). The proposed Second Two-Day Teachers' workshop will frame a series of syllabi through world café and other consultative methods, keeping in mind that the syllabi for such an interdisciplinary field must always already be provisional, contingent and speaking to the teachers' and the students' intersectional locations. It will tackle questions of research methods, challenges in educating migrant and refugee students, issues of pedagogy, strategies for navigating bias and prejudice in the classroom, historical ownership of knowledge, etc., drawing upon experts in the field who have introduced and engaged with migration studies within institutional settings. [The lectures from Reading Refugees, Reading Migration have been uploaded to https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLBF-WP5vW1kvungtxBRGK4uNtRYQIkuBR] This workshop, supported by the Institute for Human Sciences, Vienna, is part of CRG's ongoing programme in migration and forced migration studies, supported by Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung, South Asia, IWM Vienna and several other universities and institutes in India.
One of the significant challenges in 21 century is to understand the trajectories of urban develo... more One of the significant challenges in 21 century is to understand the trajectories of urban development and how it influences on the urban anthropocene. Recently published book "Untamed Urbanization" by Adriana Allen, Andrea Lampis and Mark Swilling tries to discuss this question through re-politicize the relationship between urban development, sustainability and justice. Authors argued that taming is a process that can take many forms in the urban context. This process recognized as a set of attempts by urban intermediaries through envisioning, discourse-building, planning and funding strategies to enforce a certain order, logic and coherence on complex dynamics. These processes are too opaque, seemingly directionless and therefore excessively uncontrollable to o er the basis for purposing outcomes. Moreover, the book explores the tensions emerging under real circumstances, as well as their potential for transformative change. The book raises concern about purpose of cities to the people and depicts the same as place of unique opportunities for sustainable innovations. The whole book is based on di erent case studies from both global north and south. Through the case studies, writers try to integrate socio-ecological perspectives on the contemporary challenges of urban development globally. In doing that, writers' note that theorizing urban change and contemporary challenges without an 'axiological discussion' it is purposeless. It provokes new epistemological engagements not only to diagnose the urban crisis but also re-address the actions taken earlier to solve the crisis. Such, 'actions', range from those impacted at the individual and household level to those institutionalized through planning framing. Major Ideas in the Book In the book four broad ideas of urban studies are discussed and contextualize through case studies. At first in the following paragraph these broad ideas would precisely be discussed. The case studies would be discussed in the next. The first concept focused in the book is the urban trajectories with di erent perspectives. Urban trajectories are being captured in the book as long historical cycles which have interrelated socioeconomic , spatial, institutional and ecological dynamics. Authors argued that these dynamics are interconnected and depends on the conceptual lens used to comprehend them, with each lens phasing out of sight some of these key dynamics in favour of a particular dominant concern or interest. Moreover, it shows that long cycles of economic development transform the ecological systems within which they embedded at local, regional and global scales. These long cycles and multiple scales interact in context-specific ways. Over the past century and a half, paradigms for reducing the complexity of the urban phenomenon have come and gone, but what remains are the irrepressibility and irreducibility of context. Therefore, authors contended that we have to consider di erent angles to understand urban ecological change in the era of urban Anthropocene. The second broad idea that the book envisaged is the urban development polarity and political and cultural construction of discourse. To explain urban polarity it focuses on the idea of opposition between agency and structure highlighting the fact that human conduct is purely shaped by forces and actors that people neither govern nor comprehend. Therefore, writers argued that human agency interacts with the broader forces and pressures. Discourse however have the capabilities to include or exclude through support of rational planning, urban growth and st
Dr. Joy Karmakar Lecturer, Serampore College, Hooghly
Ports are crucial site for exploring new p... more Dr. Joy Karmakar Lecturer, Serampore College, Hooghly Ports are crucial site for exploring new political geographies. Since the time immemorial, ports have served as entry point or checkpoint of a region and such nodes are important to explore the ever growing political geography of security zones. This paper made an attempt to explore how new geographies of security are emerged through development of Gwadar port in Pakistan. Paper sheds light on the reconfiguration of power and multiple spatialities in the development of Gwadar port in Pakistan. It also highlights the Pakistan's quest for security in the era of globalization under the communist regime of China. As well as the paper focuses on the reconfiguration of strategies of neighbouring countries to counter the Pakistan.
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Papers by Joy Karmakar
Keywords: Peri-urban interface, logistics hub,
urban growth, metropolitan area
Keywords: Peri-urban interface, planned townships, sustainability, smart city mission
Key words: Smart City, Green City, Digital Transformation, Peri-Urban
Keywords: Peri-urban interface, logistics hub,
urban growth, metropolitan area
Keywords: Peri-urban interface, planned townships, sustainability, smart city mission
Key words: Smart City, Green City, Digital Transformation, Peri-Urban
Ports are crucial site for exploring new political geographies. Since the time immemorial, ports have served as entry point or checkpoint of a region and such nodes are important to explore the ever growing political geography of security zones. This paper made an attempt to explore how new geographies of security are emerged through development of Gwadar port in Pakistan. Paper sheds light on the reconfiguration of power and multiple spatialities in the development of Gwadar port in Pakistan. It also highlights the Pakistan's quest for security in the era of globalization under the communist regime of China. As well as the paper focuses on the reconfiguration of strategies of neighbouring countries to counter the Pakistan.