Journal of Geographical Research and Area Studies

Role of Indian Diaspora in Senegal: An Appraisal

2025-05-16T02:16:57+00:00

The Indian diaspora in Senegal has emerged as an important contributor to the country's economic, social, and cultural landscape. This study examines both historical trajectories and contemporary experiences of the Indian community in Senegal, focusing on their multifaceted contributions and the challenges they encounter. Drawing on a review of existing scholarly literature and qualitative interviews with community members, the research highlights the diaspora’s active engagement in sectors such as trade, manufacturing, and services. In addition to their economic role, members of the diaspora have enriched Senegalese cultural and social life through the creation of religious, educational, and cultural institutions. Despite these contributions, the community continues to face structural challenges, including experiences of discrimination, linguistic barriers, and limited access to broader socio-political networks. The paper concludes with policy recommendations aimed at fostering greater inclusion and empowerment of the Indian diaspora within Senegalese society.

Vulnerability Assessment and Spatio-Temporal Pattern of COVID-19 outbreak in West Bengal using GIS

2025-05-16T02:35:34+00:00

A number of sources, including the COVID-19 data from Health and Family Welfare, Govt. of West Bengal and demographic data from the Census of India (2011) etc. have been used for this analysis. Two time period from May 2, 2021, to March 6, 2022, comprehensive COVID-19 related data for 23 districts of West Bengal served as the basis for this analytical investigation. Maps are created using ArcGIS software and COVID-19 incidence rate, mortality rate etc. are calculated using several methods while taking into account all potential outcomes. Different indicators like population density, urban population and distance from Kolkata are used to create a composite index of vulnerability at the district level. The vulnerability index was calculated using a geographically weighted regression index. Most of the Southern districts like North 24 Paragana, Kolkata, South 24 Paragana etc. are found to be highly vulnerable. Whereas, most of the northern and western districts are found to be less vulnerable. This disparity in vulnerability can be attributed to various factors, including socioeconomic conditions, infrastructure resilience, and access to resources. The investigation of the concentration point of any geographical phenomenon is known as the spatial mean centre. This study implies that there was minimal temporal fluctuation between May 2, 2021, to March 6, 2022, and the mean centre of COVID-19 cases was situated quite near to the southern region of West Bengal. Spatial mean centre and directional distribution clearly indicates nearness to Kolkata exacerbates the COVID-19 incidence rate. Consequently, targeted interventions may be necessary in the more affected areas to enhance their adaptive capacity and reduce risks.

Climate Change and Temporal Analysis of Temperature and Rainfall Variability in Kerala

2024-05-26T11:51:29+00:00

Growing temperatures have a broader effect on environmental resources, including forests and ground cover, which increases the frequency and intensity of natural disasters and degrades the environment more broadly. Due to a combination of factors, including geography, land-use change, urbanisation, development activities, and the state's high population density, Kerala is one of the Indian states experiencing a severe change in climate. Kerala has an average of 3,000 mm of rainfall each year, yet the risk for drought is still very real. In 2017, the state was hit by a drought. Summer droughts typically occur in central Kerala (Palakkad) from February to May. By 2050, it is expected that the average temperature in Kerala's atmosphere will rise by 2 degrees Celsius. Thus, the purpose of this study is to examine the changes in the state's climate and precipitation over the preceding thirty years. Thiruvananthapuram and Palakkad are the two districts included in the study regions. The study employed primarily secondary data approaches, which were sourced from the state's meteorological department. Mapping software like ArcGIS, ERDAS, and QGIS helped in the production of the maps. Furthermore, location-related and other pertinent data related to the research region were obtained by using Google Earth, Google Maps, and other comparable programmes. The findings indicate a rise in the frequency of hot days and heat waves in all of Palakkad's terrestrial zones. The past ten years have been difficult for the people living in the Palakkad area because of the rising temperatures; some have even suffered from serious sunburns. Due to changes in the global climate, the rate of rainfall during the monsoon season varies from district to district in the state. In the Thiruvananthapuram district, the amount of rainfall has been declining over the previous ten years, resulting in a severe drought. Both local and regional levels need to address these problems.

Planform dynamics of the Chel River in North Bengal Plain of Eastern India

2025-05-26T22:34:00+00:00

In the present paper, an attempt to reconstruct planform changes of the river Chel over the period 1955-2017 has been made using Topographical sheets, multi- temporal Landsat images and supplemented by field work. The study has been carried through an assessment of changes in channel morphology, sinuosity index variation, braiding index variation and braid-channel ratio variation. The different types of morphological changes observed during the entire assessment period were: neck cut-off and consequent straightening of course, Changes in channel width, development and abandonment of anabranches, and shifting of meander bends. Computation of planform indices shows decreasing trends of Sinuosity and braiding index.

Determination of Sedimentary Environment through Grain Size Analysis of the Tyrsad and Weiloi Area, Meghalaya, India

2025-05-16T02:31:00+00:00

Grain size characterization plays a vital role in understanding the environment of deposition. The study has been carried out along Tyrsad and Weiloi area of conglomerate outcrop, Meghalaya, India. The grain size statistical analysis has been carried out by using the Geometric (modified) Folk and Ward (1957) graphical measure, where the textural analyses of the grain size parameters reflect the history of its sedimentation. The result revealed that the maximum grain size of the conglomerate ranges between coarse-grained sand to granule grain-size, suggestive of the sediments being deposited under high-energy conditions. The analysed sediments show a standard deviation of 0.3 to 0.32. The sediment analysed indicates a very well sorted grain size and skewed towards the very coarse grain sizes in an extremely leptokurtic condition revealed that the sediment samples have achieved its sorting in high-energy environment. Interpretation of the frequency curve suggests that bulk of the sediments were transported in the form of traction and saltation. The sharp break in frequency curve indicates fluctuating energy during deposition. The study aims to address the paleo environmental depositional of the conglomerate as these deposits hold a significant geo-heritage importance.

Water Quality of Harike Wetland (Punjab) and its Catchment Area

2025-04-30T10:04:43+00:00

Wetlands are widely known as bio-geographical supermarkets. These fragile ecosystems support a wide range of fauna and flora and provide goods and services to society. At present, these ecosystems are diminishing and deteriorating due to various land use activities. To examine the character of wetland ecosystems, the present study deals with the Harike wetland of Punjab and its catchment area. In the present study, all the sites are found to be in the permissible limit, except for turbidity. It recorded beyond the permissible limit at all the sites during pre-monsoon season. Site 3 and 4 are affected by EC and TDS as these are situated near the settlements. These settlements are the main source of various point and nonpoint pollution sources. Site 3 is more affected among all sites. It is located in an urban area, which is the main source of industrial effluents, municipal waste, and agricultural runoff. The first four sites are more affected by pollution, are situated on the Sutlej river. The pre-monsoon data show that the Sutlej river and Harike wetland are more polluted than the Beas river. Major industrial towns are located on river Sutlej river discharges their unpredictable pollutants in Sutlej river contributing significantly to the pollution of the Harike wetland. Site 3 is the worst-affected among all the sites, located at Phillaur. Pre-monsoonal sites are more affected than post-monsoonal sites. Rainfall plays an important role in dilution. The water of post-monsoon season is much clearer than compared to pre-monsoon season.