Page18 Journal of Basic Sciences, 2015, 2(1), 18-22 www.skpubs.com JOURNAL OF BASIC SCIENCES Population Growth and its Pressure on Landuse of Godavari Basin of Nashik District Pralhad Y. Vyalij* Department of Geography, L.V.H. College, Panchavati, Nashik-422003 (M.S.) India. [*Corresponding Author s E-mail: pvyalij2010@gmail.com] Abstract: The concept of population pressure indicates the increasing population due to exclusive growth of population and which causes excess pressure upon available resources in a region. In this paper an attempt has been made to analyze the temporal changes in population growth, density, levels of urbanization and its impact which always reflects through land use. The most striking changes in the population characteristics of Nashik are seen in the density of population. High density of population has caused human pressure on the land, which created huge difference man-land ratio. Though Nashik district being third largest district of Maharashtra state in respect to area. As per 2011 census the manland ratio was only 0.0019 square km in the basin. In 1961, the population was recorded 923241 number (49.76 percent to the total population of the district), which increased to 2469702 (55.53 percent to the total population of the district) in 2011. Keywords: Population Pressure, Man-land Ratio, Decadal Growth Rate, Density, Variation, Net Sown area, Landuse 1 Introduction Population dynamics in any region deals with quantitative and qualitative aspects of population and their consequence on the socio-economic environment. The physical attributes of an area become resources, only when its people are able to use them. Population plays a dominant role in the development of Nation. The relationship between population and resources is greatly hampered by socio-economic development of a nation. Which is becomes one of the main issues in the national as well as international, mainly because of rapid population growth in the preindependent period. Landuse is the surface utilization of all developed and vacant land on a specific point at a given time and space. Due to rapid growth of population landuse has been changed widely. It noticeable near cities and towns built up area is replacing by agriculture, in villages agriculture is replacing by fallow land and scrubs, forests. With increasing population it reached to an explosion stage where population pressure is highest and it release through migration hence migration is an important outlet of overpopulation. In this study population growth and landuse of Godavari basin in Nashik district from 1961 to 2011 has been analyzed to
Page19 asses landuse changes over last six decades.the land resouces impact indicators of Nashik city was shown that the city was mainly move towerds urban sprawl, the analysis of digital database of Nashik city shows that the city was densly crowded along with the Godawari River in cluster manner (Gadakh and Jaybhaye, 2015). 2 Materials and Methods Study Area: Physiographically, Nasik district comprises of a part of a Deccan Plateau, one of the oldest originated blocks of the earth surface. The district may be broadly divided into three geographical regions, viz. a) the downghat Konkan tract; b) the Girna basin and c) the Godavari basin.nashik is the third largest district of Maharashtra having a total geographical area of 15530 square km. Godavari basin is the largest basin in Nashik district having a total geographical area of 6569.2 square km. It lies between 19 0 38 to 20 0 04 North latitude and 73 0 24 to 74 0 22 East longitudes. The soils of the district are essentially derived from the Deccan Trap which is the predominant rock formation of the district. The soil formation is mainly affected by the climatic condition and topography. In the western part of the district (i.e. downghat Konkan track) soils have developed under humid conditions, with some laterite soils being observed at higher altitudes of the hills. The soils in Godavari, Kadva and the upper reaches of the Girna and Mosam valley are quite deep and fertile. The soil in the rest of the district is undulating and susceptible to erosion. Light shallow soil is found on hill slopes and very coarse soils at higher elevation. The district is mainly drained by three major rivers, viz. a) River Godavari b) River Girna and c) Konkan Rivers. The climate of the district is generally dry except during the south-west monsoon season. The average annual rainfall for the district as a whole is 1035.5mm. Within the district there are considerable variations. The rainfall in general decrease as one proceeds from west to east. Temperature begins to increase rapidly from the latter half of February. May is the hottest month with the mean daily maximum temperature 37.4 0 C at Nasik. December is the coldest month with the mean daily minimum temperature 10.2 0 C at Nasik. Agriculture is the chief support of the economy of Godavari basin and supports the population of 3392943 (2011 census). Godavari basin is mainly divided in to six tehsils. The total area under the crops covers 394638 hectares. The aims and objectives of this study are, to examine population pressure on the landuse of Godavari Basin in Nashik district, the third largest district of Maharashtra and to study the temporal population and landuse changes in Godavari basin of Nashik district. Database: The study is based on secondary data. The data related to population growth and density of population has been collected from census publication covering from 1961 to 2011. The landuse data obtained from socio-economic abstract. The collected statistics of population has been processed and tabulated. Population data and other data converted into percentage for comparing temporal variation. Man land ratios Pralhad Y. Vyalij / Journal of Basic Sciences, 2015, 2(1), 18-22 E-ISSN 2454-1931
Page20 find out by population to general landuse and net sown area of Godavari basin. Cartographic method like simple and joint bar graph is used to show the statistical data. 3 Results and Discussion Table-1: Population Growth of Godavari Basin of Nashik District Sr. No. Census Year Population of Godavari Basin Decadal Variation in Percentage Godavari Basin Nashik Maharashtra 1 1961 923241 29.75 23.60 2 1971 1185900 28.45 27.70 26.45 3 1981 1495869 26.14 26.27 24.54 4 1991 2041209 36.45 28.73 25.70 5 2001 2749691 34.53 29.51 22.60 6 2011 3392943 23.39 22.42 16.00 (Source: Census from 1961 to 2011) Table-2: Population Density and Man-Land Ratio of Godavari Basin of Nashik District Sr. No. Census Year Density Man-Land Ratio Total area (Square km Per Person) Net Sown Area (hectares) NSA (Hectares Per Person) 1 1961 131 0.0076 484002 0.52 2 1971 169 0.0059 453662 0.38 3 1981 213 0.0047 436370 0.29 4 1991 290 0.0034 418868 0.20 5 2001 419 0.0024 379635 0.14 6 2011 516 0.0019 394638 0.12 (Source: Census from 1961 to 2011) Population Growth: The population plays an important role in landuse, because development of land resources has been carried out by human resources. The population of Godavari basin has been increased about 2469702 persons during last sixty years from 923241 (1961) to 3392943 (2011).The growth rate of population is fluctuating between the study periods.it was recorded at the peak (36.45 %) in the decade 1981-91 as well as it reaches to the bottom (23.39 %) in the decade of 2001-2011. Surprisingly population growth rate of Godavari basin in Nashik district decreases up to 5.06 percent between the study periods (table no. 1). But when we compare population growth of Nashik district and Maharashtra states it was high in Godavari basin throughout the study period. Density of Population and ManlandRatio: Density shows the population residing in the region with specific terms. It is an indicator of carrying capacity of land. Number of persons inhabiting in one square km or mile of area is known as population density. In short density is calculated by dividing population by area. Thus it is measure the degree of population concentration. Density of population helps us to understand nature of population distribution. Population density of Godavari basin in Nashik district was only 131 persons per square km in 1961 which increased to 516 persons per square km in 2011 (Table No. 2). Land-man ratio shows the availability of per capita land. It is also one important criteria of carrying capacity. When population exceed than carrying capacity of land the migration takes
Page21 place. Hence with increasing density and decreasing land man ratio population pressure goes higher steadily. The density of population increased by four times during last sixty years in Godavari basin. The drastic change was realized in census 2011. Land-man ratio (total geographical area of the basin) of Nashik district was 0.0076 square km per person in 1961 it goes on decrease up to 0.0057 square km and reach up to 0.0019 square km land per person in 2011. While the man-land ratio of net sown area was 0.52 hectares per person in 1961 which goes on decrease up to 0.4 hectares and reach to 0.12 hectares land per person in 2011(Table No. 2). 4 Conclusions Nashik district is third largest district in Maharashtra state. While Godavari river basin is the largest river basin in Nashik district. Population growth of the district as well as in the Godavari basin is constantly rising and therefore population pressure in this region persistently high. When population exceeds than carrying capacity of land goes on decrease. Population pressure goes high it always exerted through migration. The population of Godavari basin in Nashik district has been increased about 2469702 persons during last sixty years from 923241 (1961) to 3392943 (2011). The average growth rate of population in Godavari basin of Nashik district is all time higher than Nashik district as well as Maharashtra states growth rate in last 60 years. Population density of Godavari basin in Nashik district was only 131 persons per square km in 1961 which increased to 516 persons per square km in 2011. Land-man ratio (i.e. total geographical area) of Godavari basin in Nashik district was 0.0076 square km per person in 1961 it goes on decrease up to 0.0057 square km and reaches up to 0.0019 square km land per person in 2011. While the man-land ratio of net sown area was 0.52 hectares per person in 1961 which goes on decrease up to 0.4 hectares and reach to 0.12 hectares land per person in 2011. 6 References 1. BhendeAsha and Kanitkar Tara, Principles of Population Studies, Himalaya Publication house, Mumbai. (2003) 2. Census Handbook of Nashik District: 1961, 1971, 1981, 1991, 2001 and 2011. 3. Hisain Majid, Models in Geography, (2009), 144-146. 4. Khuller D.R. (2007): India: A Comprehensive Geography pp 391-396. Pralhad Y. Vyalij / Journal of Basic Sciences, 2015, 2(1), 18-22 E-ISSN 2454-1931
Page22 5. Musmade Arjun, Urbanization in Maharashtra xxix Maharashtra Bhugolshastra Patrika (2012), 67-76. 6. Nashik District Socio-economic Abstract: 1961, 1971, 1981, 1991, 2001 and 2011. 7. Negi B.S., Geography of Resources, Kedarnath Ramnath Publishers, Meerut (1990) 8. Bharat L. Gadakh and Ravindra G. Jaybhaye, Journal of Basic Sciences (2015), 1, 28-33.++