Management of Wastelands in Chotanagpur Plateau Fringe: Lessons from Village-Level Experience in Birbhum District of West Bengal, India

Abstract

The ever-increasing population pressure on land is raising the issue of management and development of degraded wastelands and the optimal utilization of land potentiality. The present paper aims to study the distribution and management of wasteland areas of Khoyrasole C D Block situated at the extended part of Chotanagpur Plateau of Birbhum District in West Bengal. Though agriculture is the mainstay of economy in the block, uncertainty in agriculture in most cases make the inhabitants reluctant to continue with agriculture, and thus about half of the cultivable lands remain fallow, which over the years turns into scrublands. The land utilization pattern indicates that around 11% of land belongs to various types of wastelands at the micro-level. Four sample villages as representative of four different categories of wastelands have been identified for the micro-level study. The analysis of information reveals environmental control on concentration of different types of wastelands and their close association with each other and with the other forms of land use. As scrubland is prevalent in most of the areas, some indigenous and eco-friendly management measures need to be followed for reclamation of these wastelands. Finally on the basis of wasteland types, water potentiality, slope character, physical association and present land use, suitable area-specific management measures have been recommended for selected sample villages in the study area.