Anthropogeomorphology of Bhagirathi-Hooghly River System in India

The Bhagirathi-Hooghly Basin in India is one of the most densely populated regions in the world and is undergoing rapid transformation of its natural landscape induced by human interventions, such as mushrooming of dams and barrages, deforestation, and urbanization. Human activities and interventions on basin landforms and the processes that shape those landforms have accelerated at an alarming rate. This book uses spatio-temporal analysis to understand the major anthropogenic signatures on land use and land cover changes and the impact these activities have on the landforms and processes of the Bhagirathi-Hooghly River and its sub-basins. It answers the what, where, why, and how of the anthropogenic signatures involved. Recent case studies on the impact of anthropogenic signatures on fluvial forms and processes make this book a useful resource for students and researchers in the earth sciences, local governments, urban planners, and all concerned with rural developments.

Features:

• Explores for the first time the new concept of anthropogeomorphology for the river basin--an emerging field
• Analyses the impact of anthropogenic activities, especially the construction of dams and reservoirs, and urbanization on major fluvial landscapes using advanced geospatial modelling techniques
• Investigates human interference in river systems, their effects on the dynamics of the river, and the livelihoods of the people residing along the river
• Addresses issues related to geology, geomorphology, geography, planning, land use, and land management areas
• Fills the need for data-driven governance and policy decisions for the future of urban-industrial growth in India.

Balai Chandra Das is an Associate Professor of Geography, Krishnagar Government College, Nadia, West Bengal. He earned a postgraduate degree in geography from the University of Burdwan and a PhD in geography from the University of Calcutta. He has published more than 30 research articles in reputed national and international journals, proceedings and edited volumes. Dr. Das has served as an editorial board member for two international journals and as a reviewer for five more. He is the main editor of two books (1) Neo-thinking on Ganges-Brahmaputra Basin Geomorphology (ISBN 978-3-319-26442-4) and (2) Quaternary Geomorphology in India: Case Studies from the Lower Ganga Basin (ISBN 978- 3-319-90426-9) published by Springer International Publishing, Switzerland. He is one of the members of the Scientific Committee of IWC-2016 and WRAA-2020 Oman. His current research interest is on the fundamental geomorphology of rivers and lakes.

Sandipan Ghosh is an Applied Geographer with a postgraduate, MPhil and PhD in geography from The University of Burdwan. He has published more than forty book chapters, international and national research articles in various renowned journals of geography and geo-sciences. He is the author of two books, Flood Hydrology and Risk Assessment: Flood Study in a Dam-Controlled River of India (ISBN 978-3-659-50098-5) and Laterites of the Bengal Basin: Characterization, Geochronology and Evolution (ISBN 978-3-030-22937-5). He is also one of editors of two books: (1) Neo-Thinking on Ganges - Brahmaputra Basin Geomorphology (ISBN 978-3-319-26442-4) and (2) Quaternary Geomorphology in India: Case Studies from the Lower Ganga Basin (ISBN 978-3-319-90426-9). He has performed as one of editors in the Asian Journal of Spatial Science and Journal of Geography and Cartography. Alongside he has worked as a reviewer in many international geo-science journals of Taylor & Francis (Geo-Carto International), Springer (Environment Development and Sustainability, Arabian Journal of Geosciences and Geosciences, Spatial Information Research, Journal of Earth System Sciences and Journal of Geological Society of India), the International Water Association (Water International), Journal of Nicolaus Copernicus University, Torun (Bulletin of Geography Physical Geography Series) and Indian Academy of Sciences (Current Science). Dr. Ghosh is a lifetime member of The International Association of Hydrological Sciences (IAHS), Eastern Geographical Society (EGS) and Indian Geographical Foundation (IGF). His principal research fields are various dimensions of fluvial geomorphology, flood geomorphology, quaternary geology, soil erosion and laterite study. Currently he has worked on (a) the gully morphology and soil erosion on the lateritic terrain of West Bengal and (b) quaternary geomorphology and active tectonics in the Bengal Basin, West Bengal. At present he is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Geography, Chandrapur College, Purba Barddhaman, West Bengal.

Aznarul Islam is an Applied Fluvial Geomorphologist with an MSc in geography from Kalyani University, West Bengal, and an MPhil and PhD in geography from the University of Burdwan, West Bengal. He is currently an Assistant Professor and Head (Officiating) in the Department of Geography, Aliah University, Kolkata. Previously, he was engaged in teaching and research at the Department of Geography, Barasat Government College, West Bengal. He has already published more than 25 research papers in different journals of national and international repute including Natural Hazards, Springer; Environmental Earth Sciences, Springer; Physical Geography, Taylor & Francis; Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, Springer; Arabian Journal of Geoscience, Springer; Environment, Development and Sustainability, Springer; Chinese Geographical Science, Springer; International Journal of River Basin Management, Taylor & Francis; SN Applied Sciences, Springer, River Behaviour and Control, India. He has contributed seven book chapters in edited volumes and one conference proceedings. He is an editor of Neo-Thinking on Ganges-Brahmaputra Basin Geomorphology, Springer International Publishing, Switzerland and Quaternary Geomorphology in India: Case Studies from the Lower Ganga Basin, Springer International Publishing AG, part of Springer Nature. He has presented papers in more than 20 national and international seminar and conferences. He has completed one Major Research Project funded by the Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR), Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India. He has delivered several invited lectures and special lectures in different national and regional programmes. He has been performing the role of a reviewer in different international journals including Scientific Reports, Nature; Trees, Forests and People, Elsevier; Environment, Development and Sustainability, Springer; Modeling Earth Systems and Environment, Springer; Spatial Information Research, Springer. He is a life member of Foundation of Practicing Geographers (FPG), Kolkata, and National Association of Geographers, India (NAGI), New Delhi. He was an Assistant Convenor of the two-day national seminar: Geography of Habitat (26-27 February 2016), organised by FPG. He has to date successfully supervised more than 35 dissertations on various topics of geomorphology at the master’s level. Currently he is supervising four PhD students in geomorphology and related fields. His principal area of research includes hydro-geomorphological issues of the Bengal Delta, including channel shifting riverbank erosion, flood, ecological stress of the riverine tract and environmental flow.

Suvendu Roy focuses his research interest on the interface between anthropogenic activities and changing channel geomorphology, especially on headwater streams of the tropical region. This includes field-based studies to identify micro-geomorphological processes and landforms. He is also interested in the application of GIS and remote sensing to develop new ways to identify the impact of human activities on landscapes. He earned a BA in geography at Burdwan Raj College, The University of Burdwan, and an MA in geography (specialised in advanced geomorphology) at The University of Burdwan (India). He earned a PhD in geography (anthropogeomorphology) at the University of Kalyani (India). He has more than 20 research publications in various journals of international and national repute. Since 2013, he is deeply involved in his research: human-induced changes in river systems. He is the life member of International Association of Hydrological Sciences (IAHS); Foundation of Practicing Geographer (Kolkata, India). Indian Institute of Geomorphologists (Allahabad, India) He is an invited reviewer of different Scopus and SCI indexed journals of Springer, Elsevier, Taylor & Francis, Willy, Science Domain groups of publication. His main areas of innovative research include Forest River Geomorphology, Anthropogeomorphology and Archaeogeomorphology. Dr. Roy is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Geography, Kalipada Ghosh Tarai Mahavidyalaya, Bagdogra, Siliguri, West Bengal, India.