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INTRODUCTION
PROLOGUE: Present research work concerns a study on the aspects of
environmental appraisal of the Kaljani River Basin. The Kaljani River is major
tributary of the Torsha River, which belongs to the mighty river of the
Brahmaputra basin. The Kaljani forms a sub- basin of the Torsha, which again
constitute a distinct part of the Brahmaputra basin.
The Kaljani sub - basin henceforth would be called as the Kaljani basin by this
researcher for the purpose of the analysis of the environmental appraisal as
above applied geographical point of view. This author has identified three
blocks namely Kalchini, Alipurduar-I and Alipurduar-II for a detailed analysis
of the major components of the both physical and cultural from geographical
point of view. She has considered the distinct variables like landform, drainage
patterns along with landform and landuse and so on of the Kaljani basin.
Particular emphasis has been given on the investigation of the landscapes etc as
discussed in the research work.
The Kaljani river basin has negotiated the undulating Bhutan Himalaya terrain
with the alluvial fans and the terai plain downstream thus covering both the
‘Bhabar’ and the continuous plains of ‘Terai’ downhill. The Kaljani River meets
with the Torsha. After a journey about 80 kms entering into the Bangladesh thus
ultimately meets with the Brahmaputra.
MAIN OBSERVATION: It is an example of polycyclic drainage basin with
several evidences of the occurrence of breaks in the evolution periods primarily
due to the tectonic movements under the humid environmental. (Average
Annual rainfall 4000 mm.)
Thus river valley is dynamic in character, which has been established by the
occurrences of atleast seven times shifting of these courses in response to the
combined effects of floods and the tectonics.
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From the applied fluvial geomorphological sense this basin is very rich in
resources like mineral resources (Dolomite, Limestone etc.), forest resources,
water resources, human resources and aesthetic resource and so on. The most
important Industry of the basin area is known as tea industry followed by the
timber and tourism. The rational utilization these valuable resources are
believed to be responsible for the socio economic development of the basin area
in near future.
The area under study being situated in the scismotechtonically unstable foothill
terrain (Bhutan Himalaya) has produced an array of magnificent landscapes
both physical & cultural involving multiple cycles of fluvial erosions. It is also
marked by the occurrences of several environmental hazards e.g flood,
landslides, and riverbank erosions, shifting of the channels, soil erosion
including the accelerated soil erosion in response to the neotechtonic
movements as well as anthropogenic interference.
Environmental Geography includes both the natural and cultural components of
environment and is helpful to establish a relationship between man and
environment. Proper and systematic assessment of the environment is a
prerequisite for any type of land use Planning. An analysis on the potentiality of
land of the Kaljani Basin depends primarily on its physical & cultural
environmental aspects have exerted much influence in the development of the
varied land use patterns like agriculture, forest, settlement etc.
AREA AND LOCATION: The Kaljani river basin is situated in the Eastern
and North Eastern part of Jalpaiguri and Kochbihar district in West Bengal (Fig
No.I.l). The present author has been given more emphasis on the investigation
of the Jalpaiguri district. This area covers with three blocks namely 1) Kalchini
2) Alipurduar-I 3) Alipurduar-H extending from 26° 27' - 26 0 51’ 20” N
latitude and 89°23’29” E - 89° 42’ E longitude in Jalpaiguri district (Fig.No.1.3,
1.4,1.5). Total catchment area of Kaljani River is about 564 sq km. Total length
of the river is 140 km. Joygaon and Falakata blocks of Jalpaiguri district from
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KALJAN1 RIVER BASIN OF WEST BENGAL
FIG. NO. 1.1 MAP SHOWS THE KALJANI RIVER BASIN OF WEST BENGAL
SOURCE: LANDSATTHEMATIC MAPPER IMAGE, 1990
PLATE NO. I. 1
PLATE NO. I. 2
KALJANI RIVER IN THE UPPER COURSE KALJANI RIVER IN THE LOW ERCOLRSE I AT AI.lPlIRDHARl
LOCATION OF THE STUDY AREA
86 30^ 89 30 'E
72'e\
__ 27° N
INDIA
32c' 30 II
.<■ 32 3
WEST BENGAL
kilometers 0 75
t NEPAL
/
1
1
---- ) 1
■v
j /
M
u
BAY OF BENGAL
ARABIAN SEA
- 12 II 12 111
-22 N ^ aM
88 E W7
72 °E 84 '-'jo/ £
89 u E
JAYOAOII
BLOCK
-26 05 N
3
FIG. NO. 1.3 C. D. BLOCK KALCHIN1
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information from NBSS & LUP & AISLUS (ICAR), ground water information
from Central Ground Water Board (CGWB), Irrigation Department, block maps
collected from the appropriate sources, population data from Census Of India
and the related literature from different sources.
PREVIOUS LITERATURE:
The first physiographic account of this part of North Bengal terrain
adjacent to the Himalayan foothills (Bhutan Himalayan) dates as recent as in
1864 when Chandra (1947) Gansser (1964), Pawde and Patrik (1965), Acharya -
paul (1966), Das gupta- Paul- Ghosh (1967), Saha (1969), Mukhopadhyay
(1978, 82, 99) have described briefly the geological formation some parts of
Jalpaiguri districts of West Bengal and Bhutan foothill areas. They have
analyzed the general characteristics of the terrain, valuable minerals, soil, forest,
resources, lithology and other valuable aspects. But all these works have done
separately by individual workers. Therefore, there remains a gap to integrate
these resource maps for the environmental appraisal & to study their impact on
land use and land potential.
IMPORTANCE OF THE STUDY AREA: The study area is famous for three
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T’ likes tea, timber and tourism. The northern part is dissected by number of
streams and influenced by micro faults show totally different land utilization
than the southern part but both patterns of land use have developed on fluvial
environment.
So the entire study area as a resource full area has great possibilities of
economic and social development.