Assessing the Impacts and Livelihood Vulnerability of River Bank Erosion: A Case Study in Chakdah C. D. Block of Nadia District, West Bengal

Abstract

River bank erosion due to channel oscillation and lateral migration of the Bhagirathi- Hugli river is one of the most hazardous hydrological events in the Gangetic West Bengal. In contemporary times, the increased frequency of bank erosion is attributed to the controlled hydrological regime of this river by the Barrage on the Ganga River at Farakka. In the present study, an attempt has been made to understand the nature of channel oscillation and frequent river bank erosion of the Hugli river and its impact on the livelihood mechanism of the local population in the selected study units. The findings reveal that land loss due to bank erosion for 1921 to 2019 in Chakdah block is 27.42 sq. km. It also shows a highly inconsistent and unpredictable pattern of channel migration except along some portions of the river course. This increases the vulnerability of the agrarian economy that economically supports over 80% of the resident population. As far as livelihood stress is concerned, the findings reveal that erosion induced frequent relocation of home and hearth is prevailing in the area. This is leading to a forced change in occupation from agriculture to other non-agricultural economic pursuits. The only strategy to cope with this hazard is frequent relocation in the absence of viable rehabilitation packages. At the end, suitable suggestion for better management and erosion hazard planning for the study area has been proposed.