Impact of Urbanisation on Water Resources in Municipal Urban Areas of Barrackpore Sub-Division, North 24 Parganas, West Bengal

Abstract

A considerable section of Barrackpore Sub-division's population is increasingly opting for the non-agricultural way of life resulting in rapid urbanisation in each of the 16 municipalities of the Sub-division. Since 2001, there has been a huge increase in urban centres across the Sub-division against a decline in the number of villages. A sharp rise of the number of ‘census towns' since 2001 is a clear indication that people from rural backgrounds are increasingly discarding agriculture as a livelihood option and opting for more urban alternatives. Accelerated urbanization is the main processes responsible for increased pressure and deterioration of water resources. A large number of people depend for their drinking and domestic water on underground water sources. As population continue to climb, demand for limited water supplies has been steadily increasing in the urban sector, efficient water use is critical for water systems to support growth in their communities.