Mapping Distribution Patterns of Population Density in GN Divisions based on Land Use Type Paddy – Eravur Pattu DS Division in Batticaloa District
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Date
2013
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Uva Wellassa University of Sri Lanka
Abstract
Population density and distribution form one of the major tools used in the development. They
can be used as an index for the development in the form of infrastructure and financial
allocation. Lack of information in digital based form to the government and non- governmental
stakeholders is a major drawback to engage in the development, based on the population
distribution. Moreover, the calculation of population density as a flat value over the area without
considering the land use, leads to the low density values in a particular DS Division. Therefore
it is necessary to observe the population density distribution over an area with land use. Thus
this study shows that the land uses which are not used for residential purposes such as water
bodies, scrubs and forests, etc. should be removed from the calculations to get an understanding
of the real areas where the population is concentrated. A value should be given to the
residentially used lands that are known as residential potential. The study adopted the residential
potential values from the findings of Indrasiri et al., (2007) which has been applied for the
Kalutara District, Sri Lanka.
This study has been carried out for the Eravur Pattu DS division, Batticaloa. The division is one
of the leading contributors to the paddy production (23% in 2011) which consists of 39 Grama
Niladari (GN) divisions with the population of 74020, whose main livelihoods are paddy, high
land crops and animal husbandry (Statistical data, 2011). The agricultural land contributes
around 43% of the total land extent of Eravur Pattu DS division and this clearly shows that the
majority of the population engages in farming in the DS division. Studies show that the extend
of the paddy and other crop land is diminishing due to various factors such as climatic change,
land degradation and fragmentation, unplanned land use for development, etc. Therefore, it is
necessary to develop a study with the objective of creating a map related data base on land use
in paddy and other crops on GN level population density and distribution to the Eravur Pattu DS
division, Batticaloa.
Methodology
This study presents the results obtained for Eravur Pattu DS division based on paddy and
agricultural crop land use patterns. Population data at GN level were obtained from the
statistical data, Eravur Pattu District Secretariat (2011). Topographical sheets of Batticaloa
district (1:50000) were obtained from the Survey department to extract the land use pattern. The
validity of the land use patterns were confirmed by the field visits and random questionnaire
survey carried out in the GN divisions. The population distribution based on land use pattern
was obtained for paddy by the following method which was adopted from the study by Indrasiri
et al (2007). The paddy land use was digitized using Arc GIS 9.2 version in order to extract
from the source data. The land use data set was intersected by the GN boundaries of the same
DS division to extract the land use in each GND. Land use was classified into residential and
non – residential and among residential land use pattern, paddy land was selected. Moderate
residential percentage was given to paddy which was adopted from the study of Indrasiri et al
(2007). Based on the residential percentage of each land use, the area contributing to residential
purpose by each land use was calculated for each GN division. The total residential area for
each GN division was calculated. By dividing the population from residential area in each GND,
population density was calculated. By multiplying population density by residential area of
paddy land use, population distribution was calculated. Arc GIS 9.2 was used to map the
population distribution based on paddy land in the Eravur Pattu DSD.
Description
Keywords
Agriculture, Export Agriculture, Engineering, Crop Production, Rice Research Development, Rice