Abstract
Hazards due to riverbank erosion, despite being considered usually as a natural phenomenon, have become a critical problem in recent times as introduction of new technology and one-sided engineering-based solution approach to combat natural hazards without taking into account of opinions of all categories of stakeholders, particularly of the hazard victims and policy makers, has aggravated the problem in many cases. The riverbank erosion hazard aggravated as a direct consequence of construction of Farakka Barrage on its upstream and downstream on the river Ganga has seriously affected the lifestyles of the people in the districts of Malda and Murshidabad in the state of West Bengal in India. In this paper, an attempt has been made to study the perceptions of different groups of stakeholders, particularly hazard victims and authority responsible for monetary investment, about causes of riverbank erosion and possible preventive and remedial measures required to solve such a complex and multi-dimensional problem. A questionnaire-based household survey has been conducted on a number of important issues of the problem among the directly affected hazard victims at a highly erosion-prone area in the Malda district. Different perceptions and their impacts on selection and implementation of anti-erosion measures are critically studied. Analysis of data as obtained from the representative sample of erosion victims as well as the secondary sources of data clearly indicates that the hazard victims are to face bad effects because of existence of perception gap and that a holistic approach considering the perception of erosion victims needs to be undertaken for a permanent solution of the problem.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Banerjee M (1999) A report on the impact of Farakka Barrage on the human fabric: a study of the upstream and downstream areas of Farakka Barrage. World Commission on Dams
Banerjee SN, Chakraborty P (1983) Some observations on recent trends of the Ganga between Rajmahal and Ahiron. J Geol Soc India 24:318–321
Chattopadhyay SS (2003) Ravaged by a river: livelihood issues. Frontline 20(20)
Comptroller and Auditor General of India (1999) Report no. 29 civil for the year ended in March, 1999. p 165
FIAN (2005) R:06 investigating violations of the human right to food in West Bengal and Orissa (India) FIAN international, Germany, report and recommendations of the international fact finding mission
Ghani MU (2001) Participatory strategy for flood mitigation in East and North-East India: case study of the Ganjes-Brahmaputra-Meghna Basin, general manager, Farakka dam project, ministry of water resources, government of India, Murshidabad, West Bengal
Government of India (1975) Report on the presentation of the port of Calcutta, ministry of irrigation and power. p 10
Government of West Bengal and Water Department (2003) Unpublished notes on the erosion problem of the river Ganga-Padma and Bhagirathi-Hoogli system in the state of West Bengal, Annexure-I
Haque CE (1991) Human responses to riverbank erosion hazard in Bangladesh: some lessons from indigenous adjustment strategies. In: Elahi KM, Ahmad KS, Mafizuddin M (eds) Riverbank erosion, flood, and population displacement in Bangladesh. Jahangir University, Dhaka, pp 191–217
Haque CE (1997) Hazards in a fickle environment: Bangladesh. Springer, Berlin
Haque CE, Zaman MQ (1989) Coping with riverbank erosion hazard and displacement in Bangladesh. Disasters 13:367–390
Hensen W (1957) Report published by the ministry of power and irrigation in India
Hirst FC (1916) Report on the Nadia rivers, Calcutta. pp 1–29
Hutton D, Haque CE (2003) Patterns of coping and adaptation among erosion induced-displaces in Bangladesh: implications for hazard analysis and mitigation. Nat Hazards Springer Neth 29:405–421
Implementation Manual (2007) Hazard mitigation-2007, www.vpic.info Vermont Land use Education and Training Collaborative
Islam MA (1974) Tropical cyclones: coastal Bangladesh. In: White GF (ed) Natural hazards-local, national, global. Oxford University Press, New York
Islam T (2005) Self help group. Ganga Bhangon Action Committee
Kates RW (1971) Natural hazard in human ecological perspective: hypothesis and models. Econ Geography 47:438–451
Kusler JA (2004) Legal questions: government liability and no adverse impact floodplain management. Association for state floodplain managers, USA
Mahapatra PK, Singh RD (2003) Flood management in India. J Nat Hazards 28:131–143
Majumdar SK (1993) River erosion downstream of a barrage. In: Proceedings of CBI & P, Varanasi, India
Majumdar SK (2000) Role of Farakka Barrage on the disastrous 1998 flood in Malda district (West Bengal), 8th ICID international drainage workshop, New Delhi
Majumdar J (2005) Bengal: hungry tide: the river has claimed their land and destroyed lives. World Prout Assembly
Mishra DK, Rao J, Vambatkere S (2004) Dams, rivers & people. SANDRP 2(9–11)
Mitchell JK (1989) Hazard research. In: Gaile GL, Willmotty CJ (eds) Geography in America Morill, Columbus. pp 410–424
Mitra A (1953) History of the mouth of the Bhagirathi river: 1781–1925, selection of records of the government of Bengal relating to Nadia rivers (from 1848–1926), reprinted in district census handbooks/Murshidabad (1951), appendix VI. pp CXi-CXXXiii
Morgan Byars PE (2007) Guidance on establishing on erosion hazard zone for structure and utility locations near streams. City of Austin Watershed Protection and Development Review Department
Mutton D, Haque CE (2004) Human vulnerability, dislocation and resettlement: adaptation processes of riverbank erosion-induced displacees in Bangladesh. Disasters 28:41–62
Parua PK (1999) Erosion problems of the river Ganga in the districts of Malda and Murshidabad in West Bengal, vol 2. pp 3–20
Parua PK (2002) Fluvial geomorphology of the river Ganga around Farakka. J Inst Eng 82:193–196
Paul BK (1984) Perception of and agricultural adjustments to floods in Jamuna floodplain in Bangladesh. Human Ecol 12:3–19
Prakash A (1997) Farakka Barrage: cause for concern, Public Interest Research Group (PIRG). In: Kavaljit S (ed)
Prasad K (2005) Legal and regulatory framework for flood management in India. World Meteorological Organisation/Global Water Partnership Associated Programme on Flood Management
Ralph KA (1975) Perception and adjustment to flood in the Meghna floodplain. Unpublished M.A. Thesis, Department of Geography, University of Hawaii, Honolulu
Rogge JR, Haque CE (1984) Riverbanks erosion hazard, rural population displacement, and institutional responses and policies in Bangladesh. In: Paper presented in the annual meeting of the association of American geographers, Portland, Oregon
Rudra K (2004) The encroaching Ganga and social conflicts: the case of West Bengal, India
Saarinen T (1966) Perception of the drought-hazard on the great plains, research paper no. 106. Department of Geography, Chicago University, Chicago
Sarker MH, Huque I, Alam M, Koudstaal R (2003) Rivers, chars and char dwellers of Bangladesh. Int J River Basin Manag 1(1):61–80
Singh P. (1980) Report of the Ganga erosion committee. Government of West Bengal. pp 1–43
Smith K (2004) Environmental hazards: assessing risk and reducing disaster, 4th edn. Routledge, London
Thakkar H (2006) What, who, how and when of experiencing floods as a disaster. South Asian Network on Dams, Rivers and People, Delhi
The Statesman: Editions of 26.08.2005, 24.05.2006, 31.05.2006 and 08.06.2006
The Telegraph: Editions of 12.08.2003, 31.08.2004, 11.07.2005, 25.08.2005 and 05.09.2005
Tomkin & Taylor Ltd (2006) Natural hazard management report. Ministry for the Environmental Quality Planning (www.qualityplanning.org.nz)
Van de Ven AH (2007) Engaged scholarship: creating knowledge for science and practice. Oxford University Press, Oxford
Vendre VM (2002) Technical report (no. 3851) on erosion on the left bank of the Ganga upstream of Farakka in Malda District. p 3
Vermont Agency of Natural Resources (2010) Fluvial erosion hazard areas frequently asked questions and answers. Vermont River Management Program
White GF (1945) Human adjustment to flood. University of Chicago, Chicago
Whyte AVT (1984) Climate Impact Assessment—Studies of the Interaction of Climate and Society Published by Scientific Committee on Problems of the Environment (SCOPE) of the International Council of Scientific Unions, Institute for Environmental Studies, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
Zaman MD (1989) The social and political context of adjustment to riverbank erosion hazard and population displacement in Bangladesh. Human Organ 48:196–205
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Das, B. Stakeholders’ perception in identification of river bank erosion hazard: a case study. Nat Hazards 58, 905–928 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-010-9698-z
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-010-9698-z