Saurav Kumar

Pachhunga University College( A Only Constitutent College of Mizoram Central University), Geography, Faculty Member

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Saurav Kumar works at the Department of Geography, Pachhunga University College (A Constituent Part of Mizoram Central University), Aizawl. His research interest includes Geo-environmental hazards, climate change, migration and livelihoods in mountain regions (Himalaya).
Phone: +918287527556
Address: Department of Geography, Pachhunga University College (Mizoram University), 796001

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Investigating the physico-chemical properties of drinking water: a case study of South Twenty-Four Parganas, West Bengal

SN Social Sciences , 2023

The availability of safe and clean drinking water is very limited across the world. However, it i... more The availability of safe and clean drinking water is very limited across the world. However, it is essential to have access to safe and quality drinking water to lead a healthy life and achieve Sustainable Development Goal 6.1 by 2030. This study examines the quality of drinking water in Palghat village of South Twenty-Four Parganas, West Bengal, considering households' level factors. A total of 78 households were selected for the study, which represents 15% of the total households. A crosssectional research design was used and purposive sampling method was applied to conduct the household-level survey. Different improved sources of water were selected using random sampling techniques for the analysis of water quality. The water quality was determined using the water quality index (WQI). We found that 53.8% of the households in the village were dependent on tube wells for drinking water. Besides, 82.1% of the households were directly consuming drinking water without purification. The study depicts that the ordinary tube wells are slightly contaminated with arsenic heavy metals (0.05mg∕L), and the overall water quality of the village is 'unfit for consumption' (WQI: 190.87). Therefore, the authors suggest paying special attention to the water quality of the ordinary hand pumps in the * Chandan Roy

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Patterns and determinants of rural-urban migration in the Garhwal Himalaya

GeoJournal, 2022

Rural-urban migration is the most adopted strategy in rural areas to overcome the risk associated... more Rural-urban migration is the most adopted strategy in rural areas to overcome the risk associated with subsistence economy and to diversify income. The Garhwal Himalaya has the highest rate of rural-urban migration in India, which has serious repercussions. Despite this, there is a dearth of literature on the implications of rural-urban migration in the region. This paper attempts to fill this void. The objectives of the paper are to investigate various types, patterns, determinants, and implications of rural-urban migration in the Garhwal Himalaya. In order to meet the objectives, 15 villages were studied from five districts of the Garhwal Himalaya. A comprehensive questionnaire with diverse set of questions from various dimensions was employed in the study. Several migration related questions from both origin and destination were considered while framing and conducting the survey. Several focused group discussions and interviews were conducted in the study villages to understand the real drivers and implications of rural-urban migration in the region. The study reveals that rural-urban migration is a serious issue in Garhwal Himalayas, posing various socioeconomic problems. Without immediate action, it will have serious repercussions. Finally, this study suggests minimizing the current rate of rural-urban migration in the Garhwal Himalaya.

Out-migration from the Hills of Garhwal Himalaya: a Case Study

Migration Letters, 2022

Throughout history, out-migration has significantly impacted the Garhwal Himalaya. This is a comm... more Throughout history, out-migration has significantly impacted the Garhwal Himalaya. This is a common phenomenon, and people have used it to diversify their risk and livelihood options. This paper evaluates the extent of out-migration in the Garhwal Himalaya and examines the different types, patterns, reasons, and implications of out-migration. The study was conducted by gathering data from the 12 villages of the Garhwal Himalaya. A total of 560 households were surveyed from the villages, covering 100% sample from each village. The authors constructed a structured questionnaire and asked the heads of each surveyed household about the types of migration they practice, the locations of migration, the reasons for migration, and the consequences of such migration. In addition, the authors asked about migrants' age, sex, education, income, and occupation. The study reveals that out-migration in the Garhwal Himalaya has become a major problem since it has led to many socioeconomic problems in the region. And if it is not addressed at its earliest, a large number of villages will become depopulated. Additionally, this study suggests some policy measures to curb out-migration from the Garhwal Himalaya.

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Depopulating Villages and Mobility of People in the Garhwal Himalaya

Migration and Diversity , 2024

Rural out-migration is a worldwide phenomenon that is also visible in many mountainous regions, c... more Rural out-migration is a worldwide phenomenon that is also visible in many mountainous regions, creating the impression of an abandoned landscape. In order to achieve sustainable mountain development, it is crucial to understand the various drivers and implications of out-migration in the mountains. Using both secondary and primary data on migration, this study examines different aspects of migration in the Garhwal Himalaya. Secondary data on migration were derived from a report published by the Rural Development and Migration Commission of Uttarakhand in 2018 that included migration statistics for the Garhwal region from 2011 to 2018. Primary data were collected through field surveys. Several types of migration were observed in the region, including semi-permanent migration, permanent migration, and in-migration. The study reveals that out-migration is a serious problem in the Garhwal Himalaya, as it has caused many socioeconomic problems in the region. If these problems are not addressed immediately, the number of uninhabited/ghost villages in the region will increase rapidly, and the population of many villages will decline significantly. Finally, various policy measures were proposed to minimize the high rate of out-migration from the Garhwal Himalaya.

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The role of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act on women empowerment in selected districts of West Bengal, India

SN Social Sciences , 2024

Women's participation in employment sectors is significantly lower than men, besides most women a... more Women's participation in employment sectors is significantly lower than men, besides most women are actively engaged in domestic household work without pay. The current study focuses on the role of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act on women empowerment in the selected districts of West Bengal. The data for the study were obtained from the MGNREGA web portal. A Panel Least Squares regression model was employed to measure the impact of MGNREGA on the average annual per capita income of women. This study depicts that the number of women and women's annual working-days have increased by 27.07 and 28.08% respectively since the financial year 2015-2016 in West Bengal. Similarly, the per capita income of women has increased by 52.19% during the same period. The correlation coefficient value of women's working-days revealed that one unit increase in women's working-days leads to an 11.611 unit rise in women's average annual per capita income when all other factors are kept constant. Finally, the study suggests that more women's participation in MGNREGA will improve the social and economic status of women in rural West Bengal.

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Highland-lowland interaction in mountain regions: a study of changing patterns among Bhotiya tribes of Garhwal Himalaya

Human Geographies, 2023

The highland-lowland interaction among the Bhotiya tribes is a centuries-old tradition. Bhotiyas ... more The highland-lowland interaction among the Bhotiya tribes is a centuries-old tradition. Bhotiyas generally have two dwellings, one in the highland and one in the lowland. During winter, when the highland areas are covered with vast amounts of snow, the tribes migrate to their valley dwellings. Similarly, they migrate to the highland villages during the summer to cultivate the land and graze their animals. The trend of highland-lowland interaction has been changing, mainly declining over time. This study examines these changes. A case study of eight villages of the Niti Valley was conducted, and a total of 292 Bhotiya households were surveyed. The authors have noticed that the practice of highlandlowland interaction decreased by 55% during the last two decades. The main drivers of change were increased education, cultural differences, reservation policies for Bhotiyas, increasing disasters in the highlands, lagging infrastructural facilities, and changes in climatic conditions. The study suggests that agriculture, livestock development, and improved infrastructure-transportation, education, markets, and employment-can revive the highland-lowland interaction. The role of the state government and the community is noteworthy to conserve the traditional practices of Bhotiyas.

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Environmental and economic impact of cloudburst-triggered debris flows and flash floods in Uttarakhand Himalaya: a case study

Geoenvironmental Disasters , 2022

This paper examines the environmental and economic impact of cloudburst-triggered debris flow and... more This paper examines the environmental and economic impact of cloudburst-triggered debris flow and flash flood in four villages of Uttarkashi district, Uttarakhand Himalaya. On 18th July 2021 at 8:30 p.m., a cloudburst took place on the top of the Hari Maharaj Parvat, which triggered a huge debris flows and flash floods, affecting 143 households of four villages of downstream areas. Immediately after the cloudburst occurred, the authors visited four affected villages-Nirakot, Mando, Kankrari, and Siror. A structured questionnaire was constructed and questions were framed and asked from 143 heads of affected households on the impact of debris flows and flash floods on people's life, settlements, cowsheds, bridges, trees, forests, and arable land in and around the villages. The volume of debris, boulders, pebbles, gravels, and mud was assessed. It was noticed that all four villages got lots of destructions in terms of loss of life-people and animals, and property damage-land, crops, and infrastructural facilities. This study shows that the location of the settlements along with the proximity of the streams, which are very violent during the monsoon season, has led to the high impact of debris flow on the affected villages. We suggest that the old inhabited areas, which are located in the risk zones, can be relocated and the new settlements can be constructed in safe places using suitability analyses.

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Bio-demographical determinants of diabetes among women in reproductive age group (15-49) in India: Evidence from National Family Health Survey (NFHS) of India, 2019-2021

International Journal of Diabetes in Developing Countries , 2023

Objective Diabetes is a non-communicable disease, and the prevalence of diabetes is higher in low... more Objective Diabetes is a non-communicable disease, and the prevalence of diabetes is higher in low and middle-income countries. In India, diabetes prevalence has been observed, with some regional variations across the states. This study analyses the current scenario of diabetes in India among women of the reproductive age group between 15 to 49 years. Methods For conducting this study, data were gathered from the fifth round of the National Family Health Survey (2019-2021). It is a two-stage cross-sectional stratified sampling survey that employs the probability proportional to size methodology. A total of 6,59,010 individual reproductive-age women have been sampled for this study. Data were analyzed using the Stata version 14 software. A binary logistic model was carried out to know the relationships between diabetes and various socioeconomic and demographic variables. In addition, the adjusted odds ratio was reported with a 95% confidence interval. Results The result shows that about 1.65% of reproductive age group women in India are diabetic with the highest in Goa (4.09%) and the lowest in Nagaland (0.81%). Further, in urban areas, the women's diabetes rate is 16% higher than in the rural areas. Besides, diabetes is strongly correlated with obese reproductive age-group women who are above 35 years and reside in urban areas with higher socioeconomic status. Conclusion This study suggests that there is an urgent need for frequent monitoring of glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c). Besides, a spatially-optimized target-oriented policy framework is needed instead of a comprehensive national policy to tackle diabetes problems in the country.

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Declining agriculture in Garhwal Himalaya: Major drivers and implications

Cogent Social Sciences, 2023

Subsistence agriculture-the cultivation of subsistence cereals including millets, oilseeds, and p... more Subsistence agriculture-the cultivation of subsistence cereals including millets, oilseeds, and pulses is the major occupation and source of livelihood of people of the Garhwal region. Over time, the production and yield of subsistence agriculture have reduced drastically. This study examines the practices of subsistence agriculture, the major drivers of declining agriculture, and its implications on the livelihood of marginal farmers. Data were gathered from eight villages of four districts, using a household-level survey. A total of 376 households inhabit these villages. We have surveyed 207 households (55%), who were fully engaged in practicing subsistence agriculture, purposively. A structured questionnaire was constructed and the questions were asked from the heads of households on the area, production, and productivity of the principal crops during 2000-2020. Data were analyzed using statistical methods. This study depicted that traditional agriculture has been declining, as a 50% decrease in the area, production, and productivity of crops was noticed during the last 20 years. The decrease was noted mainly due to climate change, extreme geo-hydrological disasters, crops damaged by wildlife, increasing population, decreasing landholdings, low soil fertility, low output from arable land, mono-cropping, and a lack of use of modern technology. The exodus out-migration, land abandonment, and livelihood insecurity were noticed as the implications of declining subsistence agriculture.

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Population Aging in India: A Regional Comparison and Implications for Older Persons' Welfare and Healthcare Infrastructure

Journal of Population and Social Studies (JPSS) , 2023

Population aging is an inevitable consequence of demographic transitions, and declining fertility... more Population aging is an inevitable consequence of demographic transitions, and declining fertility causes a rising burden of aging. The present study aims to project the aging index of various states nationwide up to 2031. In addition, the study estimates the year by which different states and union territories (UTs) will reach the Kerala levels index of aging (i.e., aged society). To conduct this study, data were gathered from the 2001 and 2011 Census of India. Using simple trend extrapolation techniques, we produced projections of aging indices up to 2031. Further, an index of aging of each state and union territory up to the level of Kerala state (i.e., aged society) was projected. The results showed that there will be a change in the age structure of the population from 2011 to 2031. There will be a 6% increase in the workingage group (15-59 years) and a 5% in the older population (60 years and above). However, there will be a decline of 11.2% in the children ages 0-14 years. The southern states and some states of north India, such as Punjab and Himachal Pradesh, are likely to attain Kerala's level of aging index in the next few years. However, northern states are expected to take more years to achieve it. Therefore, there is a need to promote harmony between development and demographic change by expanding economic and social resources for older persons. The time has come to plan for the future burden of the older population across the country and arrange appropriate health facilities for them.

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Patterns and determinants of rural-urban migration in the Garhwal Himalaya

Patterns and determinants of rural-urban migration in the Garhwal Himalaya, 2023

Status of drinking water, sanitation facilities, and hygiene in West Bengal: evidence from the National Family Health Survey of India (NFHS), 2019–2021

by Chandan Roy, Amit Biswas, and Saurav Kumar

International Water Association, 2023

Access to safe drinking water and sanitation are essential fundamental rights for every citizen o... more Access to safe drinking water and sanitation are essential fundamental rights for every citizen of a country. It is an important indicator of quality of life. Inadequate access to WASH services harms children under five and adolescent girls. This study examines the status of WASH services in West Bengal. A comprehensive assessment of WASH services was conducted using data from the fifth round of the National Family Health Survey. Data were statistically analyzed using Stata V. 14.1 software. A multivariate ordinal logistic regression model was applied to examine the association between experimental and explanatory variables. Furthermore, adjusted odds ratios, significance levels, and confidence intervals were provided for each dummy variable. The study found that only 33.69% of households in West Bengal have access to improved sources of drinking water. Moreover, only 74.35% of households have access to hygienic sanitation facilities within their premises, while 14.60% still practice open defecation. However, urban, Pucca, and non-nuclear households have better access to clean water, sanitation, and hygiene. The study also reported that drainage facilities are lacking in the state. Finally, the study recommends some policy measures to improve the access of WASH services in the state.

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