Dynamics and Economic Prospects of Abandoned Channels in the Foothill Dooars region. A case study of Raidak River Basin in West Bengal, India
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31305/rrjss.2025.v05.n01.043Keywords:
Abandoned Channels, Economic Viability, Raidak River, Dynamic change, Riparian dwellersAbstract
Abandoned channels are critical ecosystems that provide essential socio-economic services. However, anthropogenic activities increasingly threaten them. This study aims to explore the economic viability of the abandoned channels and investigates the spatio-temporal hydrology and morphological dynamics of the abandoned channels. To conduct this study filtering technique is used to identify the most probable abandoned channels in the Raidak river basin area in India with the help of Remotely Sensed digital data and GIS tools. Purposive random sample was used to conduct 300 interviews utilising semi-structured interview schedules to gather data related to crucial role of the abandoned channels to surrounding Riparian dwellers, studied fifteen village members as a type of participatory appraisal method. The result of this study revealed that most of the Riparian dwellers of the study area belong to the rural area and they are directly engaged with primary activities. Therefore, the respondent stated that 14.67% completely dependent and 64.37% partially dependent on surrounding abandoned channel for their economic growth. As a result of huge anthropogenic pressure on abandoned channels are started degrading over the time period and facing several threads in respect to their existence as a natural environmental resource. This study highlights the crucial economic role and threads as well. Therefore, the findings may help local stakeholders to protect and restore the floodplain abandoned channels and reduce the threads by adapting sustainable use and management of natural resources.
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