Futuristic Urbanism of Eco-Sensitive Zone of India: A Case Study of Kolkata Region

Abstract

The Bengal Delta is one of the ecologically sensitive zones of the Indian sub-continent. This sensitive zone is facilitated by water, which has an entry in all parts of people’s lives through seasonal monsoon flooding, and cyclones under extreme weather conditions. The topography determines the flow of drainage, which slopes to the East. The characteristics of this water network as well as a number of other aspects of water resources can be linked to the physiography of the region. One of the most critical elements of this water system is the low-lying areas of the region, which creates a number of economic opportunities at the local level as well as regional level. The paper will understand the significance of such low-lying areas. The intent of the paper is to provide an approach for understanding the hydrological process and its relation with the existing morphological elements. It also aims to understand the spatio-temporal impact of anthropogenic activities on the low-lying areas. The author identifies the different elements of the water system to delineate the study towards creating a balance with these settlements. This will depend on the social and economic dependencies of the communities and the spatial configuration of the area which will be analyzed through primary and secondary surveys. The research will focus on the improvement of the environmental and social conditions through regeneration strategies to integrate the economic and physical resourcefulness of these communities. Out of all the different components of water systems, the intent of the research will be limited to the case of low-lying areas only.