Indian Journal of Economics and Development

Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Subscription Access

Extent of Population Migration from Riverbank Eroded Areas and its Rationales:A Case Study of Dhubri and Dhemaji Districts of Assam


Affiliations
1 Goreswar College, Assam, India
2 Gauhati University, Assam, India
 

Objectives: The paper examines the extent of migration due to riverbank erosion and its rationale. The paper based on field survey data collected from two districts of Assam, India namely Dhubri and Dhemaji during June – August 2016. Altogether 437 households were interviewed, out of which 194 were from Dhemaji district and 242 from Dhubri district.

Methods: Using multi-stage random sampling method the survey was conducted in high, medium and low eroded villages of both the districts. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistical tools such as percentages, mean, standard deviations.

Findings: Migration is found in eroded and non-eroded villages. Large number of short-term migration in comparison to long-term migration found and people migrated more from highly eroded areas than from less eroded areas. It has also been found that migration among non-farmers is higher than farmers. The paper concludes with the findings that the main reasons behind migration are the problems that arise due to riverbank erosion.

Application/Improvement: The study is a contribution to the migration studies. It will be helpful to suggest policy measures to control migration in the riverbank eroded areas.


Keywords

River-Bank Erosion, Extent of Migration, Rationale for Migration, Short Term and Long Term Migration.
User
Notifications

  • C.L. Gray. Environment, land, rural out-migration in the southern Ecuadorian Andes. World Development. 2009; 3(2), 457–468.

  • C.L. Graya, V. Mueller. Natural disasters and population mobility in Bangladesh. 2012.

  • K.T. Das, H.K. Halder, Ivy D. Gupta. River bank erosion induced human displacement and its consequences. Living Review in Landscape Research, SSRN. 2014.

  • K.T. Das, H.K. Halder, I.D. Gupta. Forced migration: consequences of River bank erosion in India. Social Science Research Network. 2013; 1-19.

  • E.C. Penning-Rowsell, S.J. Priest. Sharing the burden of increasing flood risk: who pays for flood insurance and flood risk management in the United Kingdom. Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change. 2015; 20(6), 991–1009.

  • S. Gupta, R.K. Sharma. Land degradation – its extent and determinants in mountainous regions of Himachal Pradesh. Agricultural Economics Research Review. 2010; 23, 149-156.

  • A. Shah. Land degradation and migration in dry land region in India. Environment and Development Economics.2005; 10-05.

  • M.H. Khan. River erosion and its socio-economic impact in Barpeta district with special reference to Mandia development block of Assam. International Journal of Engineering and Science. 2012; 1(2).

  • D.López-Carr, Jason Burgdorfer. Deforestation drivers: population, migration, and tropical land use. Environment. 2013; 55(1), 1-7.

  • A.F.M.A Uddin. J.K. Basak. Effects of Riverbank erosion on livelihood, Unnayan Onneshan. Centre for Research and Action on Development. 2012; 1-39.

  • K. Chopra, S.C. Gulati. Migration, common property resources and environmental degradation: inter linkages in India’s semi-arid regions. Sage Publication, New Delhi. 2001, 1-164.

  • R. Mahanta, Daisy Das. Common property resource degradation and migration: a study of Assam. Journal of Human Ecology. 2012; 38(3), 223-230.

  • Government of Assam. Information on River bank erosion. 2014.

  • A. Phukan, R. Goswami, D. Borah, A. Nath, Chandan Mahanta. River bank erosion and restoration in the Brahmaputra River in India. Clarion: Multidisciplinary International Journal. 2012; 1(1), 1-7.

  • D. Goswami. Brahmaputra River Assam, India, physiographic, basin denudation and channel aggradations. Water Resources Research. 1985; 21(7), 959- 978.

  • S.J. Baishya. A study on River bank erosion by the river brailing Melkipara village of Hajo revenue circle, Kamrup District, Assam, India. International Journal of Scientific and Research Publication. 2013; 3(9), 1-10.

  • A.Y. Daramola, O. Timothy Oni, O. Ogundele, A. Adesanya. Adaptive capacity and coping response strategies to natural disasters: a study in Nigeria. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction. 2016; 15, 132–147.

  • N. Mili, S. Acharjee, S.M. Konwar. Impact of flood and River bank erosion on socio-economy: a case study of Golaghat revenue circle of Golaghat district, Assam. International Journal of Geology, Earth & Environmental Sciences. 2013; 3(3), 180-185.

  • S.H.M. Fakhruddin, Juma Rahman. Coping with coastal risk and vulnerabilities in Bangladesh. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction. 2015; 12, 112–118.

  • S.A. Stouffer. Intervening opportunities: a theory relating to mobility and distance. American Sociological Association. 1940; 5(6): 845–867.

  • W. Arthur Lewis. Economic development with unlimited supplies of labor. The Manchester School. 1954; 22, 139–91

  • G. Ranis, J.C.H. Fei. A theory of economic development. American Economic Review. 1961; 51, 533-565.

  • L.A. Sjaastad. The costs and returns of human migration. Journal of Political Economy, Supplement. 1962; 70, 80-93.

  • E.S. Lee. A Theory of migration, population association of America. Demography. 1966; 3 (1), 47-57.

  • J.R. Harris, MP Todaro. Migration, unemployment and development: a two-sector analysis. American Economic Association. 1970; 60(1), 126-142.

  • A L. Mabogunje. Systems approach to a theory of rural-urban migration, geographical analysis. 1970; 2, 1-18.

  • A. Speare. A Cost-Benefit Model of Rural to Urban Migration in Taiwan. Population Studies. 1971; 25(1), 117-130.

  • C.C. Almeida. Emigration, espaceet sous-development. International Migration. 1973; 11(3), 112–117.

  • M.P. Todaro. Internal migration in developing countries: a review of theory, evidence, methodology and research priorities. American Economic Association. 1976; 59(1), 138-148.

  • K.B. Bhatia. Rural-urban migration and surplus labor, oxford economic papers. Oxford University Press. 1979; 31(3), 403-414.

  • M.J. Piore. Birds of passage: migrant labor and industrial societies. Cambridge University Press. 1979.

  • H.J. Hoffmann-Nowotny. A sociological approach toward a general theory of migration. Global Trends in Migration New York. Centre for Migration Studies. 1981; 64-83.

  • J.E. Taylor, P.L. Fletcher. Remittances and development in Mexico: the new labor economics of migration: a critical review. Rural Mexico Research Project. 2001.

  • S. Dercon. Insurance against poverty. Oxford University Press. 2005.

  • M.R. Rahman. Impact of River bank erosion hazard in the Jamuna floodplain areas in Bangladesh. Journal of Science Foundation. 2010; 8(1&2), 55-65.

  • L. Ersado, Harold Alderman, Jeffrey Alwang. Changes in consumption and saving behavior before and after economic shocks: evidence from Zimbabwe. Economic Development and Cultural Change. 2003; 52(1), 187-215.

  • F. Islam, A.N.M. Rashid. River bank erosion displaces in Bangladesh: need for institutional response and policy intervention. Bangladesh Journal of Bioethics.2011; 2(2), 4-19.

  • T.H. Mollah, J. Ferdaush. River bank erosion, population migration and rural vulnerability in Bangladesh (A case study on Kazipur Upazila at Sirajgonj district). Environment and Ecology Research. 2015; 3(5), 125-131.

  • D.J. Kalita. Impact of flood and River bank erosion in majuli, Assam (India) and its restoration measures. Multidisciplinary Indexed E-Journal. 2016; 3(5), 21-30

  • C.E. Haque, Z Hussain. River bank erosion in Bangladesh. American Geographical Society. 1988; 78(1), 20-31.

  • P. Sen. River bank erosion and protection in gangetic Delta. 2000.

  • A.H.M.Z. Karim. Flood and River bank erosion displaces: Their indigenous survival strategies in two coastal villages in Bangladesh. Canadian Center of Science and Education. 2014; 1(4).

  • S.F. Ahmed. Impact of disasters caused by River bank erosion by Brahmaputra under barpeta district, Assam-a case study. Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research. 2016; 2(8), 1213-1217.

  • Statistical Handbook. Information on agriculture, industries and livestock population. Government of Assam. 2015.

  • R. Black, W. Neil Adger, Nigel W. Arnell, Stefan Dercon, Andrew Geddes, David S.G. Thomas. The effect of environmental change on human migration. Global Environmental Change. 2011.

  • Sendai framework for disaster risk reduction 2015–2030. United Nations. 2015; 1-37.

  • D. Byerlee. Rural-urban migration in Africa: theory, policy and research implications. International Migration Review. 1974; 8(4), 543-566.


Abstract Views: 277

PDF Views: 137




  • Extent of Population Migration from Riverbank Eroded Areas and its Rationales:A Case Study of Dhubri and Dhemaji Districts of Assam

Abstract Views: 277  |  PDF Views: 137

Authors

Dimpal Dekaraja
Goreswar College, Assam, India
Ratul Mahanta
Gauhati University, Assam, India

Abstract


Objectives: The paper examines the extent of migration due to riverbank erosion and its rationale. The paper based on field survey data collected from two districts of Assam, India namely Dhubri and Dhemaji during June – August 2016. Altogether 437 households were interviewed, out of which 194 were from Dhemaji district and 242 from Dhubri district.

Methods: Using multi-stage random sampling method the survey was conducted in high, medium and low eroded villages of both the districts. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistical tools such as percentages, mean, standard deviations.

Findings: Migration is found in eroded and non-eroded villages. Large number of short-term migration in comparison to long-term migration found and people migrated more from highly eroded areas than from less eroded areas. It has also been found that migration among non-farmers is higher than farmers. The paper concludes with the findings that the main reasons behind migration are the problems that arise due to riverbank erosion.

Application/Improvement: The study is a contribution to the migration studies. It will be helpful to suggest policy measures to control migration in the riverbank eroded areas.


Keywords


River-Bank Erosion, Extent of Migration, Rationale for Migration, Short Term and Long Term Migration.

References