Anthropogenic effects on physical landscape: A case study of Purmandal and Uttar Behni in Samba district of Jammu and Kashmir UT

Abstract

The study “ Anthropogenic effects on physical landscape”  has been carried out in Purmandal and Uttar Behni area of Samba district in Jammu and Kashmir. The study area Purmandal is a tehsil in Samba district of the state Jammu and Kashmir and lies between 32.37⁰N-32.44⁰N latitude and 74^.94⁰E-75⁰.0⁰Elongitude. This area is about 37km away from Jammu in south eastern side and connected with NH 44A from Bari Brahamna. It is an empirical deductive study in which field tour of three days was conducted in order to assess the area i.e role of humans in shaping the physical landscape. Detailed study was done and photographs were taken as an evidence of Anthropogenic effects. This study has revealed   that Purmandal and Uttar Behni have witnessed many types of anthropogenic activities. Anthropogenic influences in the area are clearly perceptible in agriculture, mining, transportation, construction, and deforestation activities. The study has revealed the   relationship between level of modernization and contrasting influence of   agricultural practices on natural landscape. The study focuses on various anthropogenic dimensions in the context of the study area which includes Purmandal and Uttar Behni. The Purmandal area is suffering from various effects which are caused or played by human. These effects are in term of agricultural practices, infrastructural development, cutting of forests for domestic fuel as well as for timber and also for clearing of land to make it good for agricultural practices. To prove the anthropogenic effects on the landscape, field observations have been the main source of information. Besides few prominent local persons as well revenue officer were interviewed to make assessment of the changes taken place in the area.