Klaus Baier

Analysis of urban growth using Landsat TM/ETM data and GIS—a case study of Hyderabad, India

Hyderabad is one of the fastest growing mega cities in India and it is facing many economic, social and environmental problems due to rapid urban growth. For the better planning of resources and to provide basic amenities to its residents, it is necessary to have sufficient knowledge about its urban growth activities. Also, it is necessary to monitor the changes in land use over time and to detect growth activities in different parts of the city. To accomplish these tasks with greater accuracy and easiest way, remote sensing and geographic information system (GIS) tools proved to be very advantageous. This study makes an attempt towards the mapping of land use classes for different time periods and analysis of apparent changes in land use using the Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) and Enhanced Thematic Mapper (ETM) data for the urban agglomeration of Hyderabad, India. In this study, three different time periods viz. 1989–2000, 2000–2005 and 2005–2011 are chosen for the analysis. The results have shown that high-density urban area had grown during 1989–2011 by encroaching into other land use classes. The urban growth has also affected water resources both, qualitatively and quantitatively in the region. The transformation of other land use types into urban area dynamically continued in the North-East and Southern parts of the city. In the North-East direction, the urban growth was mostly due to growth in industrial and residential area and in Southern part, mostly due to residential growth.

Pollution of Ganga River Due to Urbanization of Varanasi: Adverse Conditions Faced by the Slum Population

One of the most important and holiest rivers in the world, the Ganga has now become highly polluted because of the pollution from many cities present along its banks. Nearly all kinds of wastes coming out of Varanasi, viz. sewage inflow, industrial waste, animal carcasses, unclaimed human dead bodies, and nearly all other kind of biodegradable as well as non-biodegradable wastes is being dumped in the Ganga river. Faecal Coliform Counts of more than 4 million/100 ml have been recorded at downstream end of the city near the Varuna Confluence. Many studies have shown that there is a significant relativity between water-borne diseases and the use of the river water for potable uses like bathing, laundry, washing of utensils etc. The present study aims to bring the increasingly worsening situation into limelight and to present few possible solutions to bring the River Ganga to its former glory.

Wasserverschmutzung und Umweltprobleme als Folge der Urbanisierung in Hyderabad

In den letzten 15 Jahren hat sich das südindische Hyderabad extrem gewandelt. Es ist zu einem der schnellstwachsenden Standorte der IT-Industrie aufgestiegen und zieht Investitionen aus der ganzen Welt an. Die Demografie der Stadt wurde von Hyderabads urbaner Transformation beeinflusst. In den peripheren Lagen, in denen sich die neuen Industrien niedergelassen haben, sind hohe Bevölkerungswachstumsraten zu verzeichnen, und es entstehen zahllose Wohneinheiten für die gutverdienenden und gut ausgebildeten Arbeitnehmer, die nach angemessenem Wohnraum suchen. Dieses außergewöhnliche Wachstum findet in einer sensiblen, semi-ariden Landschaft statt, die von der Existenz eines Netzwerkes alter, von Menschen angelegter Seen inmitten einer hügeligen und felsigen Landschaft geprägt ist. Der hohe Landverbrauch bedroht diese Wasserkörper, da die Urbanisierung in einer vorher nicht da gewesenen Geschwindigkeit abläuft. Die unterschiedlichen, in diesem Prozess mit einbezogenen Behörden setzen die bestehenden Gesetze zur Landnutzung nicht durch und stellen keine angemessene sanitäre Infrastruktur zur Verfügung. Dieser Beitrag zeigt, wie der Mangel an umfassender Planung am Rande Hyderabads zu Umweltproblemen führt, welche sowohl die Existenz des Durgam Cheruvu, eines bedeutenden Wasserköpers der Stadt, bedrohen als auch die Lebensqualität der Anwohner des Sees negativ beeinflussen. Die Daten wurden während eines Feldaufenthaltes im April/Mai 2011 erhoben. Dabei wurden Wasserproben genommen und Gespräche mit betroffenen Personen geführt.

Mega-Urbanization in Guangzhou: Effects on Water Quality and Risks to Human Health

Due to China’s economic liberalization at the end of the 1970s and the institutionalization of numerous special economic areas, Chinese agglomeration areas such as the Pearl River Delta (PRD) in southern China have recorded great economic growth in a relatively short period of time and – caused primarily by national migration – an exorbitant increase in population. Urban areas like Guangzhou, Shenzhen or Dongguan grew from small cities into giant megacities within a short time. Over the course of this development, the PRD has become one of the most dynamic and densely populated regions in China and, moreover, is among the regions in the world with the fastest rate of urbanization (Baier and Strohschon 2007). These dynamic development processes not only led to transformations of the population structure, civic economy and urban morphology, but also to considerable ecological problems and thus to changes in quality of life.

Towards integrated intentional agent simulation and semantic geodata management in complex urban systems modeling

Abstract Mega-urbanization presents researchers with a network of densely interwoven problems that completely elude disciplinary boundaries. We report on the development of a spatial knowledge management and agent simulation framework that is designed to integrate closely with the process of trans-disciplinary research into the dynamics of complex human-environment systems. We argue that our choice of knowledge representation languages facilitates cross-domain collaboration and direct involvement of domain experts without prior experience in computer programming. In a run-through application example, we show how standardized knowledge engineering technologies are used to turn a conventional geodatabase into a self-documenting knowledge base that can flexibly interface with modern open-data infrastructures. The resulting cross-domain world model is then coupled to a graphical actor modeling language that specializes in the formulation of behavioral theories in terms of social roles, intentions, tasks, conditions and interaction. Finally, we describe how system theories expressed in this way are automatically translated into computer simulations.

Status of arsenic contamination in potable water of Northern areas of Mizoram State and its adjoining areas of Southern Assam, India

A reconnaissance survey was conducted to examine the physicochemical properties of the potable water of Northern parts of the State of Mizoram, India, as well as the adjoining southern parts of the State of Assam, India. Groundwater samples were taken from those sources of water which were used as potable water source in the area. All the samples were analyzed for ionic concentrations of potassium (K+), sodium (Na+), calcium (Ca2+), magnesium (Mg2+), chlorine (Cl−), sulfate (SO42−), manganese (Mn), iron (Fe), and arsenic (As). Parameters such as pH, electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids, and total hardness were also measured in situ using digital instruments. The aim of the present work is to study the various physicochemical parameters following the recommendations of World Health Organization in order to test whether these sources are safe enough to be used as potable water resources. Furthermore, present work will throw light on the probable causes of presence of arsenic in Silchar City of southern Assam and total absence of it in neighboring state of Mizoram.

Impact of Urbanization on Surface Runoff Characteristics at Catchment Scale

Increase in population and rapid urbanization are two main challenges to urban water management, especially for cities in developing countries like India. The assessment of changes in catchment surface runoff due to urbanization is critical for water resource planning and management. Uncertainty in rainfall and changing landuse pattern results from urbanization is difficult to correlate with present changing surface runoff conditions. This study has shown an approach to find a relation between these three by using a statistical term dynamic degree with application of the well-established tool, Curve Number (SCS-CN) method to observe surface runoff over the study area in conjunction with Geographic information system and remote sensing. This study assesses changes in runoff characteristics of Raipur catchment which has been delineated from a smallest sub-basin of Mahanadi River in Chhattisgarh, India. Pixel-based Runoff depth of each sub-catchment was estimated by incorporating digital elevation model, rainfall data, and Land Use/Land Cover (LULC) information for the years 1971–2015. Spatio-temporal variation in each sub-catchment has been computed and significant change in runoff has been observed. The motivation of this study aims to understand and to study the changing nature of urban growth pattern/sprawl, to quantify surface imperviousness and changes in surface runoff characteristics.

Slums and informal housing in India: a critical look at official statistics with regard to water and sanitation

ABSTRACT The official data on slums and basic urban services are important sources for Indian planners and policy makers. With regard to national and international benchmarks they are consulted in order to identify and target those in need of development schemes. This article takes a closer look at the official definitions and numbers and raises questions about their reliability and their comprehensiveness. By comparing these statistics with findings obtained during fieldwork undertaken between 2011 and 2014 in the southern Indian city of Hyderabad questions emerge concerning the effectiveness in helping the most marginalized sections of society.

Water Quality and Socio-Ecological Vulnerability Regarding Urban Development in Selected Case Studies of Megacity Guangzhou, China

The megacity Guangzhou in the South-Chinese Pearl River Delta is one of the most economically dynamic and rapidly urbanizing areas in the world and meanwhile home to some 15 million people. The urban growth, which also includes various spatial structural changes in the city center as well as in the peri-urban area, has created severe deterioration of water quality within the last 30 years.

Wassermangel und dessen Gesundheitskonsequenzen: Eine Folge des Klimawandels?

Die Bedeutsamkeit von sauberem Trinkwasser fur die Menschen konzentriert sich in der Aussage Wasser ist Leben (WHO 1997). Die Weltgesundheitsorganisation schatzte, dass jahrlich allein durch wasser- und hygieneassoziierte Erkrankungen mehr als 2,4 Mio. Menschen sterben (Pruss-Ustun et al. 2008). Die wesentlichen Dimensionen, die Wasser und Gesundheitseffekte betreffen, sind die quantitative Verfugbarkeit und die Qualitat des verfugbaren Wassers (WHO 2000). Beide Dimensionen hangen u. a. von klimasensitiven Faktoren wie Niederschlagsmustern, -intensitat und -extremen sowie von Schnee- und Eisschmelze ab. Dieses Kapitel beschaftigt sich mit der Fragestellung, ob Wassermangel eine Folge des voranschreitenden Klimawandels ist. Die Fragestellung wird zunachst anhand eines Literaturuberblicks diskutiert. Im Anschluss daran wird eine Untersuchung des Lehrstuhls fur Ingenieurgeologie und Hydrogeologie der RWTH University aus dem Jahr 2008 zu Grundwasserkontamination durch Salzwasserintrusion im Grosraum Beirut vorgestellt. Als Ergebnis dieses Beitrags kann festgehalten werden, dass der Klimawandel negative Auswirkungen auf die Wasserqualitat und Wasserquantitat haben kann. Allerdings sind in erster Linie anthropogene Effekte fur Veranderungen von Wasserqualitat und Wasserquantitat verantwortlich, so dass Klimawandel eher verstarkend wirkt.