165
et al. 2015; Sun et al. 2016). LUCC is a significant parameter to be considered in the
associations between human and environmental activities (Dewan et al. 2012).
Urban sprawl resulted in rapid changes of land cover (Mundia and Aniya 2006; Jat
et al. 2008; Dewan and Yamaguchi 2009; Dewan et al. 2012; Byomkesh et al. 2012;
Liu et al. 2014), loss of farmland (Ali 2006; Du et al. 2013; Zhang and Song 2006;
Lopezet al. 2001), destruction of habitat (Alphan 2003) and loss of the green areas
(Swanwick et al. 2003; Kong and Nakagoshi 2006). These losses impact on urban
environmental circumstances like climate change and biodiversity at regional,
global and local levels (Nagendra et al. 2004; Phan and Nakagoshi 2007; Sun et al.
2016). The growth of urban and suburban areas needs more land and pushes the
shifting of rural to urban land use (Farooq and Ahmad 2008; Mohan et al. 2011;
Xiaoqing and Jianlan 2007). Hence, from the standpoint of land use change, growth
of urban areas is of particular significance due to its burly effect on other land use
classes, like agricultural lands (Attua and Fisher 2011; Forkuor and Cofie 2011;
Himiyama 2004; Mohan et al. 2011; Nunes and Auge 1999). Land use change study
can examine ecosystem changes and their environmental implications at various
spatial and temporal scales (Gregorio 2005; Lambin 1997). Recently emerging
innovation and technologies including remote sensing and GIS gives a cost effective
and exact alternative to know the dynamics of landscape (Raziq et al. 2016). Thus,
GIS and remote sensing are very useful to formulate, implement and monitor the
urban expansion or advancement move towards sustainable development policies
and strategies (Yeh and Li 1997).
The Kolkata Metropolitan Area is the second largest urban agglomeration in
India which consists of 38 municipalities and 3 municipal corporations. The review
shows that the expansion of KMA is much concentrated in the north-east direction.
Various small municipalities are growing at a faster rate than the three municipal
corporations (Kolkata, Howrah and Chandannagar). In addition, the Kolkata
Municipal Corporation (KMC), which is the core of KMA, experiences a negative
growth (−1.66% as per Census of India) in terms of population. Therefore, Barasat
I CD Block has been taken as the study area to examine population pressure and
urban sprawl inside and outside the municipality.
9.2 Objectives
The primary objectives of the study are as follows: firstly, to analyse the demographic profile inside and outside of the urban boundary in the said study area;
secondly, to examine the degree of urban sprawl through utilization of different
statistical and GIS techniques; and thirdly, to find out how the population pressure
plays a primary and effective role to encroach the natural resource by constructing
new residences.
9 Population Pressure and Urban Sprawl in Kolkata Metropolitan Area
et al. 2015; Sun et al. 2016). LUCC is a significant parameter to be considered in the
associations between human and environmental activities (Dewan et al. 2012).
Urban sprawl resulted in rapid changes of land cover (Mundia and Aniya 2006; Jat
et al. 2008; Dewan and Yamaguchi 2009; Dewan et al. 2012; Byomkesh et al. 2012;
Liu et al. 2014), loss of farmland (Ali 2006; Du et al. 2013; Zhang and Song 2006;
Lopezet al. 2001), destruction of habitat (Alphan 2003) and loss of the green areas
(Swanwick et al. 2003; Kong and Nakagoshi 2006). These losses impact on urban
environmental circumstances like climate change and biodiversity at regional,
global and local levels (Nagendra et al. 2004; Phan and Nakagoshi 2007; Sun et al.
2016). The growth of urban and suburban areas needs more land and pushes the
shifting of rural to urban land use (Farooq and Ahmad 2008; Mohan et al. 2011;
Xiaoqing and Jianlan 2007). Hence, from the standpoint of land use change, growth
of urban areas is of particular significance due to its burly effect on other land use
classes, like agricultural lands (Attua and Fisher 2011; Forkuor and Cofie 2011;
Himiyama 2004; Mohan et al. 2011; Nunes and Auge 1999). Land use change study
can examine ecosystem changes and their environmental implications at various
spatial and temporal scales (Gregorio 2005; Lambin 1997). Recently emerging
innovation and technologies including remote sensing and GIS gives a cost effective
and exact alternative to know the dynamics of landscape (Raziq et al. 2016). Thus,
GIS and remote sensing are very useful to formulate, implement and monitor the
urban expansion or advancement move towards sustainable development policies
and strategies (Yeh and Li 1997).
The Kolkata Metropolitan Area is the second largest urban agglomeration in
India which consists of 38 municipalities and 3 municipal corporations. The review
shows that the expansion of KMA is much concentrated in the north-east direction.
Various small municipalities are growing at a faster rate than the three municipal
corporations (Kolkata, Howrah and Chandannagar). In addition, the Kolkata
Municipal Corporation (KMC), which is the core of KMA, experiences a negative
growth (−1.66% as per Census of India) in terms of population. Therefore, Barasat
I CD Block has been taken as the study area to examine population pressure and
urban sprawl inside and outside the municipality.
9.2 Objectives
The primary objectives of the study are as follows: firstly, to analyse the demographic profile inside and outside of the urban boundary in the said study area;
secondly, to examine the degree of urban sprawl through utilization of different
statistical and GIS techniques; and thirdly, to find out how the population pressure
plays a primary and effective role to encroach the natural resource by constructing
new residences.
9 Population Pressure and Urban Sprawl in Kolkata Metropolitan Area