CHAPTER 8

WASTELAND TYPOLOGY AND RECLAMATION

IN SELECTED SAMPLE VILLAGES

8.1 The Approach

The wasteland mapping in India is now being carried very extensively

by the Department of Land Resources, Ministry of Rural Development, New

ar
Delhi in collaboration with Department of Space, National Remote Sensing
Centre, Hyderabad.

The Indian Space Research Organization took the first step to create
reliable database on the wasteland of the country on 1:50,000 scale. Mapping
el
of the wasteland in India from satellite imagery of 1980-82 was attempted and
published by NRSA Hyderabad in 1985. A project using the satellite data of
different periods (1986-2000) was executed by NRSA and an atlas showing
the spatial distribution and district wise area under wasteland was released by
t
the Prime Minister of India in 2000. Department of Land Resources, Ministry
Es

of Rural Development, Govt. of India, initiated a project entitled “National

Wasteland Updation Mission” in collaboration with National Remote Sensing
Centre in 2003 and the status of wastelands with 28 categories were mapped.
The results are published in “Wasteland Atlas of India- 2005” with district level
data. In order to monitor the changes in wasteland in the country, Department
of Land Resources took another project titled “National Wasteland Monitoring
Project” in collaboration with NRSC, Department of Space and brought out
Wasteland Atlas of India-2006 along with changes in previous studies. Based
on the wasteland mapping exercise carried out during 2005-06, “Wasteland
Atlas of India-2010” is now published. It estimates 47.22 Mha of wastelands in
the country which is 14.91 percent of the total geographical area of the
country. It shows a reduction of 8.41 mha from 2003. A temporal analysis
confirmed with a very significant reduction of wastelands from 63.85 Mha
during 1986-2000.

102
 According to these estimates, 12790.06 km2 corresponding to 23.91
percent of the total geographical area of Uttarakhand is under wastelands.
Three major categories of wastelands viz., snow cover and glacial area with a
spatial extent of 9216.87 km2, land with open scrub and barren rocky/stony
waste area accounting for 1142.16 km2 each are the major categories of
wastelands in the state (Anonymous, 2010). According to Wastelands Atlas of
India 2010 which depicted wasteland data for 2006, district Nainital has a total
of 119.4 km2 of wasteland corresponding to 2.83 percent of the total
geographical area of the district. The wasteland data collected from 1986 to

ar
2000 and depicted in Wasteland Atlas of India 2003 recorded 193.41 km 2 of
wastelands in Nainital, thus showing a marked decline of 74 km2 of wasteland
during this period.

It appears from the existing information and mapping of wasteland in

el
the country that these broad categories as shown in table 4.1 are applicable
for large scale analysis of wasteland at country level. The wasteland
Classification Scheme 2010 given in the Wastelands Atlas of India 2010 has
eight major categories and twenty three minor categories. Out of this
t
categorization, Category A (Gullied and Ravinuous Land), B (Scrubland (land
with or without scrub) F (Scrub Forest (under-utilized notified forest land) and
Es

H (Mining / Industrial Wastelands) are only applicable for the Himalayan

region depending on the site and situation factor of the area under
consideration. In case of River Kalsa Basin some of these categories are
found with very scanty appearances. While going down to the village level,
Category B and F are noticeable and category A and H is not uniformly found
distributed. Keeping these constraints in mind, the Typology of wasteland
derived for three sample villages is based on use factor as discussed in the
following sections.

8.2 The Field Mapping Technique

The mapping exercise in the sample villages has been conducted with
a view to acquaint with the nature of the field and wasteland categories to be

103
 plotted. The local knowledge and other relevant information is used for
identification and mapping of wasteland features. All ground details were
depicted on the village Cadastral maps and the categorization of the existing
land use and wasteland features was attempted and demarcated on the
maps. In fact the field mapping exercise is performed in two phases. In the
first phase the details of each category of land use as shown in cadastral
maps is verified in the field with the help of village elders. The second phase
is characterized by marking and categorizing exercise performed with the
inclusion of each minor detail, keeping the change features in consideration.

ar
As such the new and existing wasteland conditions are plotted and
categorized to arrive at the final typology of wasteland in the sample village.

8.3 Wasteland Typology

el
Wasteland is that land which is presently lying unused. It may be
classified into two categories:
t
i. Non-Cultivated Wasteland is that land which is barren and cannot be
put to some production use, e.g. snow-covered and glacial areas and
Es

barren outcrop hill ridges.

ii. Cultivable Wasteland is the wasteland which is capable of or has the
potential for development of agriculture, pasture or afforestation but is
not being used to its optimum level owing to various physical and social
constraints. All such land can be put to some production use after
proper treatment and reclamation.

Wasteland can thus be defined as that land which is presently lying

partially utilized or misutilized, underutilized and unutilized. On the basis of
this definition the wastelands may thus be classified as follows:

i. Misused Land a. Agricultural Wasteland

b. Forested Wasteland

104
 ii. Underused Land a. Cultivable Wasteland

b. uncultivable wasteland

iii. Unused land a. Rocky Wasteland

b. Erosion prone wasteland

Agricultural Wasteland: Land which was previously under cultivation and

shown in old revenue records but presently found abandoned due to different

ar
constraints is termed as agricultural wasteland.

Forested Wasteland: Land originally notified under forest act, but having
scattered trees and bushes is termed as forested wasteland.
el
Cultivable Wasteland: Land which is capable of producing crops but is left
abandoned or put under the use of seasonal grass fields is classified as
cultivable wasteland.

Uncultivable Wasteland: Land which is generally prone to degradation,

t
higher slopy areas and terrace walls with thin soil layers and has a few scrub
Es

cover is uncultivable wasteland.

Rocky Wasteland: The rock exposure of varying lithology often barren or

devoid of soil cover and vegetation is termed as rocky wasteland.

Erosion Prone Wasteland: The land eroded due to river cutting and where
gullies are formed.

8.4 Distribution of Wastelands

The total area under wastelands has been estimated to be about

263.79 ha or 46.53 percent of the total reporting area of the three sample
villages (table 8.1). From the table it can be seen that out of total wasteland
area, maximum area falls under the category of underused land which

105
 consists of Cultivable wasteland amounting to 166.83 ha or 63.24 percent of
the total wasteland area. This is followed by unused land which is 21.86
percent including Rocky wasteland (15.56%) and erosion prone wasteland
(6.29%). misused land is lowest in the sample villages covering 14.90 percent
of the total wasteland area. it comprises of agricultural wasteland which is
8.79 percent and forested wasteland having 6.10 percent of the total
wasteland area.

ar
Table 8.1 Distribution of Wastelands in Three Sample Villages of
Kalsa Basin, 2011

Wasteland Category Area in ha Area in percent to

total area
Misused Land 39.30(14.90) 100
el
1. agricultural land 23.2(8.79) 59.03
2. Forested Land 16.1(6.10) 40.97
Underused land 166.83(63.24) 100
1. Cultivable Wasteland 166.83(63.24) 100
t
Unused Land 57.66(21.86) 100
Es

1. Rocky Wasteland 41.06(15.56) 71.12

2. Erosion Prone Wasteland 16.6(6.29) 38.88
Total 263.79(100) 100
Source: Personal field observation, 2011

8.4.1 Misused Wasteland

Agricultural Wasteland: this type of wasteland is absent in the village

Chanfi. While Dhanachuli and Alchauna villages account for 58.62 percent
and 41.38 per cent of total misused land in three sample villages (Fig. 8.2,
8.3).

Forested Wasteland: Village Dhanachuli has only forested wasteland

accounting for 6.99 percent of its total area (Table8.2). The reason of

106
availability of such type of wasteland in Dhanachuli may be accounted to
excessive lopping for fuel and fodder which is the result of increasing
population pressure in the study region. The fruit cultivation may also be
attributed responsible for large scale deforestation(Fig. 8.3)

Table 8.2 Misused land in Three Sample Villages of Kalsa Basin, 2011

Village Name Agricultural Wasteland( Forested Wasteland(in

in ha) ha)
Chanfi - -

ar
Alchauna 13.6(58.62) -
Dhanachuli 9.6(41.38) 16.1(100)
Total 23.2(100) 16.1(100)
Source: Personal field observation, 2011
el
8.4.2 Under used Wasteland

Cultivable Wasteland: Out of the total wasteland area in three sample

t
villages, 63.24 percent is under cultivable wasteland. It varies from 3.36
percent in Chanfi to 70.14 percent in Alchauna while village Dhanachuli
Es

accounts for 26.50 percent of total cultivable waste land (Table 8.3). The
reason for low percent of cultivable wasteland in Chanfi village is its location
in the river valley where most of its agricultural land is irrigated (Fig.8.1, 8.2,
8.3).

Table 8.3 Under Used land in Three Sample villages of Kalsa Basin,
2011

Village name Cultivable Wasteland Cultivated wasteland

(in ha) (in percent)

Chanfi 5.6 3.36

Alchauna 117.01 70.14
Dhanachuli 44.22 26.50
Total 166.83 100

Source: Personal field observation, 2011.

107
 8.4.3 Unused Land

Rocky Wasteland: Out of total wasteland area only15.56 percent area is

under Rocky Waste (Table 8.4). The distributional pattern of rocky wasteland
ranges from a minimum of 1.94 percent in village Chanfi to 51.29 percent in
village Alchauna. While village Dhanachuli accounts for46.76 percent of total
rocky wasteland (Fig 8.1, 8.2, 8.3).

ar
Table 8.4 Unused Land in Sample Villages, 2011

Village Name Rocky Waste Erosion Prone

(in ha) Wasteland
(in ha)
Chanfi 0.80(1.94)
Alcona 21.06(51.29) 16.6(100%)
el
Dhanachuli 19.20(46.76)
Total 41.06(100) 16.6(100%)
Source: Personal field observation, 2011
t
Erosion Prone Wasteland: Out of total wasteland area 6.29 percent is under
Es

erosion prone category. Village Alchauna is found affected by erosion

accounting for the total occurrence of its area under this category. As the
village lies along the river Kalsa, which takes devastating form in the rainy
season due to which many agricultural fields washed out and gives rise to the
problem of erosion prone wastelands (Fig. 8.2)

8.5 Capability Classification

Because of physio-geographical, agro- climatic and socio economic

variations agricultural development in hill areas has to face the problems
different from those in the plains.Small size of land holdings their
fragmentation and scatteredness and inadequate infrastructural facilities were
also observed by Sah (1986) in central Himalaya. With increase in population,

108
requirement for food and fuel is also increasing which is putting great
pressure on the land resulting into decreasing productivity of the land
especially in the rain fed areas. The forests which are the only support area
for agriculture in rain fed areas are also facing degradation.

For suggesting development strategies in the present study we have

adopted Capability classes, based on the work of Sah (1986). Land Capability
Classification is the systematic arrangement of different kinds of lands
according to their properties that determine the ability of land. Three villages
were selected from different physiographic units and their capability

ar
classification was worked out.

Capability Class 1: Cultivated Irrigated land having deep loam soils either
el
well terraced or having flat land with high productivity are placed in the

Capability Class 1.

Capability Class 2: The unirrigated cultivated midlands with 10-30 degree of

t
slope having deep shallow to sandy loam with high productivity are put in
Es

class 2 of capability. The orchards because of their good production are also

included in this category.

Capability Class 3: The unirrigated high lands between 20 to 30 degree

slope, well to poorly terraced, either suitable for crop production or fruit

production are placed in this category3. cultivable waste and civil forested

land of low hills having deep to shallow loam and slope less than 10 degrees

and civil forests of high hills having slope more than 30 degree are also

included in this category.

Capability Class 4: the forests and cultivable waste lands which are used for

grazing by animals and are highly degraded and have poor productivity are

included in this category of Capability Class 4.

109
 8.5.1 Capability Classification for the Sample Villages

Out of the three sample villages, village Alchauna and Chanfi are
having cultivated irrigated land consisting of 9 percent of total surveyed area.
This is included in the Capability Class 1 (Table 8.5).

The unirrigated cultivated land with high slope of 30 degrees having

deep shallow to sandy loam with high productivity in village Dhanachuli is put
under the capability class 2. It covers 37.78 percent of the total area of all
three sample villages.

ar
The unirrigated high lands of village Dhanachuli, some parts of
cultivated wastelands of villages Alchauna and Chanfi are included in the
category 3 of Capability Class covering an area of 25.59 percent. Capability
Class 4 includes the cultivable wastelandsof high slopes and degraded land of
el
the three villages. This class is found in higher slopes of village Dhanachuli
and degraded and eroded parts of village Alchauna.

Table 8.5 Land Use and Capability Classes for the Sample Villages,
2011
t
Land use Area in ha Area in percent Capability Class
Es

Cultivated Irrigated 51.05 9.00 1

land
Cultivated 37.78 6.66 2
unirrigated land
with high
productivity
Unirrigated high 145.1 25.59 3
lands suitable for
fruit production and
forested land of
lower hills
Forests and 225.84 39.84 4
wasteland
Other 107.01 18.88 --
Source: Personal Field Observation, 2011

110
8.6 Remedies of Reclamation and their Utilization

Land, involving the whole ecosystem is one of the most important

resources of the country. Its utilization determines the pace of economic
growth of any region. Land resources are fixed and development like
destruction of forest cover, mismanaged irrigation, water logging, salinity and
unscientific agricultural practices are responsible for degradation of land
resources. Productivity of present agricultural land ca not be increased
beyond certain limits. Therefore in order to meet the demands of ever

ar
increasing population reclamation and utilization of wasteland is necessary.

The remedies for reclamation of different wasteland types in totality

cannot be uniform because for different wasteland types different reclamation
methods are required. The popularly known methods to reclaim different types
el
of wastelands are as follows.

For the reclamation of saline soil areas proper levelling of saline soil
areas providing bunds along the field should be done to obtain uniform spread
of water. Green manure crop residues and weeds can also be used for
t
reclaiming saline soil. This serves as important source of readily available
Es

nutrients on decomposition. Along with this they also help in solublising

calcium and neutralizing the soil.

Ravine and waterlogged areas can be reclaimed by dividing the field

into plots and strong bunds should be constructed around the fields to check
the soil erosion and water flow. Suitable drains should be made for removing
excess water. Land preparation and ploughing should be done according to
nature of slope. Diversion Channels can be constructed to reduce the erosion
by gullies. Testing of soil should be done to determine the deficiency of soil
and take appropriate action.

The problem of wasteland differs in the Himalayan region as compared

to that of the other parts of the country. Here main forms of wastelands
include glacial areas, rocky and barren land, and cultivated wasteland.

111
 The Rocky and Barren land and glacial areas are such lands which
could not be put under any meaningful use as it is impossible to reclaim such
lands.

The main forms of wastelands in the study area which could be

reclaimed include Cultivable Wasteland and erosion prone wasteland.

8.6.1 Reclamation of Cultivable Wasteland and

suggested utilization

ar
Cultivable wasteland is the major form of wasteland in the study region.
The main reasons of this are attributed to migration of working population to
other areas.
el
To regenerate and develop the wasteland in the study area following
measures should be done:

 Testing of the soil of agricultural wasteland should be done to put it

under the required land use practices.
t
 Proper use of green manures and scientific crop rotation should be
Es

adopted to maintain the soil fertility.

 Degraded cultivable wastelands could be used as groves and gardens.
Social forestry programmes should be taken up at all available land to
create employment for the local people.

Reclamation of Erosion Prone Wasteland

Construction of Check dams, growing grasses, contour ploughing,

improving the drainage are very effective measures to reclaim or reduce the
erosion prone wasteland in the study area.

People’s involvement in wasteland reclamation procedure will be of

great importance. Priority should be given to vegetative devices rather than
engineering work. This will help in stabilising and channelizing the streams,
which is necessary to arrest the process of soil erosion and a greater runoff.

112
 ar
el
t
Es

Fig. 8.1
 r
la
te
Es

Fig. 8.2
 r
la
te
Es

Fig. 8.3