ABSTRACT: Land is one of the important resources which plays dominant role in
determining human economic, social and cultural progress. Land use denotes the
sectoral utilization of a unit of the available land in a given time. There is high
variability
in time and space in bio-physical environment, socio-economic activities, and
cultural
context that are associated with land use change. The proper utilization of the
land is the
economic backbone of a region. The total area of eastern Uttar Pradesh is 8582977
hectare
out of which a big proportion of 5531019 hectare (64.44%) is under net sown area
followed by other land excluding agriculture of 1094249 hectare (12.75%), forest
736692
hectare (8.58%), current fallow land 540018 hectare (6.29%), old fallow land 191110
hectare (2.23%), groves and gardens 208408 hectare (2.43%), barren and un-
cultivated
land 145256 hectare (1.61%), cultivated waste land 122597 hectare (1.43%) and
pasture
land 16832 hectare (0. 19%). The main objective of the paper is to outline the land
use
change in eastern Uttar Pradesh during (2000-2010).
Key Words: Land Utilization, Land use pattern, land use change, Net sown area,
Pasture land, Cultivable waste land, Current fallow land, Old fallow land,
Non#cultivated land, Other Land excluding agriculture, Pasture land, Land under
Groves and Gardens.
Introduction
Land is a part of physical environment having different natural uses. But man, as
equipped with his skill and know-how, is reshaping the uses of land. With the
result, a variety of land use categories is seen in all parts of the world. The
reflections of interaction between man and nature decide the composition of land
use of any territorial region of any dimension. In fact, man uses the land within
several frameworks, viz., physical, social and economic, which often operate
together. There are two sets of limits which determine the pattern of land use in
any particular region. First, the absolute or outer limits which are set by nature
and second, the relative limit set by culture, human attitudes and actions which
determine the range of actual and probable use within the limits (Zimmermann,
1951). Land use pattern shows how human uses the land. Information of land use
† V.N. Sharma, Professor of Geography, BHU, Varanasi -221005
‡ Anil K. Tiwari, Research Scholar, Department of Geography, BHU, Varanasi#221005
Ed. S.K. Dixit- ‘Population and Regional Development’, Radha Publications,
New Delhi, 2013, ISBN: 81-7487-816-5, pp 164-176.
not only permits a better understanding of the land use aspects like, water
resources, forest cover, agriculture land, waste land etc. It actually reflects the
interaction between society and environment. Simultaneously it helps to assess
the performance of land in quantitative terms. The concept of land utilisation is
basically related to man’s physical environment superimposed by cultural
landscape. The pertinent notion of the interaction of those two environments,
physical and cultural, in patterning the uses of land has changed the economic
structure of the region. The study area presents an excellent case as it has been
under the influence of urbanisation and industrialisation.
Eastern Uttar Pradesh (Fig.1) is extending between 230 51’ N to 280 31’ N
latitudes and 810 30’ E to 840 39’ E longitudes, covering an area of 85298.79 km2
(29.10 % of the state). Eastern Uttar Pradesh consists of 27 district, 117 tehsil,
and
341 community development blocks. Eastern Uttar Pradesh lies in the northern
sub-continental interior of the sub-tropical climate belt, the monsoon with all its
rhythms, vagaries and extremes reigns supreme and affected intricately almost
every detail of the occupancies and life pattern of the people.
Many works have been done by geographers related to land use.
Chatterjee, (1952) done land utilization survey of Howrah district (West Bengal).
Shafi, (1969) presented a plan for land use and classified the land categories and
their capability. Bolin, (1977) studied the land use change pattern and their
importance for the carbon cycle. Kostrowicki, (1983) classified the land use
categories and studied the land use system and its impact on environment.
Lombin, (1997) explained the modelling and monitoring land cover changes
processes in tropical regions. Pandey, R.K. (2000), has discussed the land use and
cropping pattern of Eastern Uttar Pradesh.
