EXERCISES
1. Choose the right answers of the following from the given options.
(i) Which one of the following towns is NOT located on a riverbank?
(a) Agra
(b) Bhopal
(c) Patna
(d) Kolkata
Answer - (b) Bhopal
Answer - (b) Bhopal
Note - Bhopal is located on the bank of the Upper Lake. It's the capital the administrative headquarters of Madhya Pradesh state in India. Bhopal is also called the city of Raja Bhoj and the 'City of Lakes' because there are many small and big ponds here. There are two main lakes, the Upper Lake and the Lower Lake.
Agra is located at the banks of the river Yamuna in Uttar Pradesh
Patna is located at the banks of the river Ganga in Bihar. Its old name was Patliputra.
Kolkata is located at the banks of the river Hooghly in West Bengal. It was the capital city of India before 1911, when Delhi became the capital of India.
Patna is located at the banks of the river Ganga in Bihar. Its old name was Patliputra.
Kolkata is located at the banks of the river Hooghly in West Bengal. It was the capital city of India before 1911, when Delhi became the capital of India.
(ii) Which one of the following is NOT the part of the definition of a town as per the census of India?
(a) Population density of 400 persons per sq km.
(b) Presence of municipality, corporation, etc.
(c) More than 75% of the population engaged in primary sector.
(d) Population size of more than 5,000 persons.
Answer - (c) More than 75% of the population engaged in primary sector.
Note - The census of India, 1991 defines urban settlements as “All places which have municipality, corporation, cantonment board (Option B) or notified town area committee and have a minimum population of 5000 persons (Option D), at least 75 per cent of male workers are engaged in non-agricultural pursuits (Option C) and a density of population of at least 400 persons per square kilometers are urban (Option A).
Hence, in the given question only option C. stands as not a criterion for definition of a town.
Hence, in the given question only option C. stands as not a criterion for definition of a town.
(a) Alluvial plains of Ganga
(b) Arid and semi-arid regions of Rajasthan
(c) Lower valleys of Himalayas
(d) Forests and hills in north-east
Answer - (a) Alluvial plains of Ganga
Note - Arid and semi-arid regions of Rajasthan (Option B), Lower valleys of Himalayas (Option C) and, Forests and hills in north-east (Option D), are regions where the climate and the soil fertility present conditions for dispersed rural settlements.
The rich alluvial plains of Ganga (Option A) provide ideal location for clustered settlements.
2. Answer the following questions in about 30 words.
(i) What are garrisson towns? What is their function?Answer - Garrison towns are those towns which has troops permanently settled on it. It functions as a reserve post/station of the military in a region. These towns enable the armed forces to make quick intervention in times of need. These towns emerged as garrisson towns / Cantonment towns such as Ambala cantt., Jalandhar cantt., Mhow, Babina, Udhampur, etc.
(ii) What are the main factors for the location of villages in desert regions?
Answer - Oasis (a Natural Water Lake) play a major role for the location of villages in the desert regions likely Thar Desert in Rajasthan. In Rajasthan, scarcity of water has necessitated compact settlement for maximum utilization of available water resources.
The main factors that influence the location of villages in desert regions are:
• Physical features – nature of terrain, altitude, climate and availability of water.
• Cultural and ethnic factors – social structure, caste and religion.
• Security factors – Defence against thefts and robberies.
• Physical features – nature of terrain, altitude, climate and availability of water.
• Cultural and ethnic factors – social structure, caste and religion.
• Security factors – Defence against thefts and robberies.
3. Answer the following questions in about 150 words.
(i) Discuss the features of different types of rural settlements. What are the factors responsible for the settlement patterns in different physical environments?
Answer - Rural settlements in India can broadly be put into four types-
• Clustered, agglomerated or nucleated,
• Semi-clustered or fragmented,
• Hamleted, and
• Dispersed or isolated.
Clustered Settlements -
• Is compact or closely built-up area of houses.
• The general living area is distinct and separated from the surrounding farms, barns and pastures.
• The intervening streets present some recognizable patter or geometric shape, such as rectangular, radial, linear, etc.
• Are generally found in fertile alluvial plains and in the north-eastern states.
• This type of settlement is preferred for
o Security or Defence reasons: in Bundelkhand region of central India and Nagaland.
o Scarcity of water: in Rajasthan where water scarcity has necessitated compact settlement for maximum utilization of water resources.
Semi-Clustered Settlements -
• Result from the tendency of clustering in a restricted area of a dispersed settlement.
• Often such settlement patter may result from segregation or fragmentation of a large compact village.
• For instance, one or more sections of the village society choose or is forced to live a little away from the main cluster or village.
• Generally, the land-owning and dominant community occupies the main village, whereas people of lower strata of society and menial workers settle on the outer flanks of the village.
• Are widespread in the Gujarat plains and some parts of Rajasthan.
• Such villages are more frequently found in the middle and lower Ganga plain, Chhattisgarh and lower valleys of the Himalayas.
Dispersed Settlements -
(i) Discuss the features of different types of rural settlements. What are the factors responsible for the settlement patterns in different physical environments?
Answer - Rural settlements in India can broadly be put into four types-
• Clustered, agglomerated or nucleated,
• Semi-clustered or fragmented,
• Hamleted, and
• Dispersed or isolated.
Clustered Settlements -
• Is compact or closely built-up area of houses.
• The general living area is distinct and separated from the surrounding farms, barns and pastures.
• The intervening streets present some recognizable patter or geometric shape, such as rectangular, radial, linear, etc.
• Are generally found in fertile alluvial plains and in the north-eastern states.
• This type of settlement is preferred for
o Security or Defence reasons: in Bundelkhand region of central India and Nagaland.
o Scarcity of water: in Rajasthan where water scarcity has necessitated compact settlement for maximum utilization of water resources.
Semi-Clustered Settlements -
• Result from the tendency of clustering in a restricted area of a dispersed settlement.
• Often such settlement patter may result from segregation or fragmentation of a large compact village.
• For instance, one or more sections of the village society choose or is forced to live a little away from the main cluster or village.
• Generally, the land-owning and dominant community occupies the main village, whereas people of lower strata of society and menial workers settle on the outer flanks of the village.
• Are widespread in the Gujarat plains and some parts of Rajasthan.
Hamleted Settlements -
• Settlements, sometimes, are fragmented into several units physically separated from each other bearing a common name. These units are locally called panna, para, palli, nagla, dhani, etc. in various parts of the country.
• This segmentation of a large village is often motivated by social and ethnic factors.• Such villages are more frequently found in the middle and lower Ganga plain, Chhattisgarh and lower valleys of the Himalayas.
• Dispersed or isolated settlement pattern in India appears in the form of isolated huts or hamlets of few huts in remote jungles, or on small hills with farms or pasture on the slopes.
• Extreme dispersion of settlement is often caused by extremely fragmented nature of the terrain and land resource base of habitable areas.
• Found in areas of Meghalaya, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Kerala.
• Found in areas of Meghalaya, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Kerala.
(ii) Can one imagine the presence of only one-function town? Why do the cities become multi-functional?
Answer - One-function towns are a defunct term nowadays. To find a town carrying out only one function is utterly rare. People have realized the benefits that comes from diversifying their functions, these functions are often complementary and can add to the overall output of the town/city in which they live. For certain reasons, one-function may come to dominate all the other functions and often is substituted with the name of the town.
For instance, say Agra, it has a rich historical heritage, but that town is known for more – leather industry. Thus, one-function towns are a thing of past. Presently, towns perform multiple functions, but one function may come to dominate the region (often a function for which has been famous for).
Cities become multi-functional as and when it grows. A small town/city often resorts to specialize in a single activity to remain relevant for the economy. But when the city grows, population increases and expands over space, it no longer can rely on the single activity to sustain itself. The city will embrace newer functions to keep it sustainable. Thus, the cities are not static in their function. The function changes due to their dynamic nature. Over time, the functions get so intertwined that the city cannot be categorized in a particular functional basis.
For instance, say Agra, it has a rich historical heritage, but that town is known for more – leather industry. Thus, one-function towns are a thing of past. Presently, towns perform multiple functions, but one function may come to dominate the region (often a function for which has been famous for).
Cities become multi-functional as and when it grows. A small town/city often resorts to specialize in a single activity to remain relevant for the economy. But when the city grows, population increases and expands over space, it no longer can rely on the single activity to sustain itself. The city will embrace newer functions to keep it sustainable. Thus, the cities are not static in their function. The function changes due to their dynamic nature. Over time, the functions get so intertwined that the city cannot be categorized in a particular functional basis.