CHAPTER : I

INTRODUCTION

GENERAL :

Baroda city, a major industrial centre of Gujarat state, was In the past
[some 50-60 years ago], a small university town with little industrialization
and a relatively small population. The period from 1960 onwards saw an
exponential increase in both industrialization and urbanization, making great
inroads into natural resources like land and water. The situation presently,
is very critical, as the volume of natural resources has remained constant,
but the demand has increased exponentially, the problem made more acute
by the pollution of surface and sub-surface water pollution.
"S

Improper land-use, without taking into consideration the capability of the

land, has led to the formation of transitional and barren land, wherein
agriculture is possible, and in which any sort of agricultural practise
is impossible respectively.

Large scale industrialization and urbanization has altered the climate of

the city, making it more hotter and having a lesser annual rainfall. The
covering of land by roads and buildings have drastically decreased the
land area, which in turn has decreased the Infiltration and increased
run-off.

All the above criterion have combined to degrade the geo-environment of

Baroda and its neighbourhood.

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LOCATION :

Baroda city, is strategically located on the main broad-guage railway line

connecting Bombay with Ahmedabad and Delhi. The national highway number
8 connecting Bombay and Ahmedabad also passes through this city.

The study area encompasses an area of 714 sq.km and lies between 73° 5'
- 73° 20'E longitude and 22° 10' - 22° 28' latitude, including the Baroda
Municipal Corporation apea, 103 villages of Baroda, Waghodia and Padra
talukas of Baroda district [Fig. 1, Table : 1, Plate : 1],

PHYSICAL FEATURES :

The study area lies in Baroda district forming a part of the great Gujarat
plain. The eastern portion of the district comprising the Chhota-udepur,
Jabugam and Naswadi talukas is hilly, while the rest of the district is
a gently undulating plain.

Located between Mahi and Narmada, the chief rivers of the district, the
study area is well-known for black soil which is suitable for the
production of cotton. This midland between the Mahi and Narmada covers
the Baroda plain which is drained by tributaries of the Mahi, Narmada
and Dhadhar. The river Vishwamitri is a dividing line between black soils
and red loams. Besides these rivers, the Jambuva and the Surya flow
through the district and meet the Arabian sea in the Gulf of Cambay.

The Mahi river rises from the Vindhya hills of Madhya Pradesh and flows
through Rajasthan and Gujarat. It has 5 tributaries and sub-tributaries
in this district. It forms a major source of drinking water for Baroda
city.

The Mini river, a tributary of the river Mahi, after a course of 50 km

merges in the river Mahi near Sindhrot village of Baroda taluka. It carries
effluents released from the industrial complexes located in the study area

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 ■ a /« A T IA 1 I UAH

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 TABLE : 1

LOCALITY INDEX

NO. NAME OF REF. NO. NAME OF REF.

VILLAGE/ NO. VILLAGE/ NO.
TOWN/ [as per TOWN/ [as per
LOCATION Fig. 1] Fig. 1]

1 Ajitpura L/20 29 Dhanora D/6

2 Ajod G/5 30 Diwalipura 0/15
3 Akota I/ll 31 Dodka E/2
4 Aladpura M/15 32 Dolatpura K/20
5 Alamgir J/17 33 Dumad J/6
6 Amaliyara M/7 34 Fajalpur C/4
7 Araodar P/12 35 Fatepura K/19
8 Am pad C/ll 36 F'nagar H/7
9 Angadh C/6 37 G.I.D.C. J/14
10 Ankhol N/ll 38 Gokalpura D/13
11 Ankodiya E/9 39 Gorwa H/9
12 Asoj J/4 40 Gosindra H/20
13 Atladara H/13 41 Gotri F/10
14 Bajwa F/7 42 G.S.F.C. G/6
15 Bakrol P/10 43 Hansajipur N/17
16 Bapod L/ll 44 Harni K/8
17 Bhavpura 0/6 45 Hetampura 0/16
18 Bhayali F/12 46 Hinglot C/12
19 Bil G/14 47 Itola H/19
20 Chansad G/17 48 I.P.C.L. E/7
21 Chapad H/15 49 Jaspur C/12
22 Chhani 1/8 50 J’nagar G/7
23 Chikhodara L/15 51 J1pura 0/9
24 Danteshwar K/13 52 Jobantekri N/13
25 Darapura E/16 53 Kajapur K/20
26 Dasharath G/6 54 Kalali H/14
27 Dena L/7 55 Kanadkoi N/19
28 Dhanlyavi M/16 56 Kapurai M/13

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Table : 1 [Contd.]
NO. NAME OF REF. NO. NAME OF REF.
VILLAGE/ NO. VILLAGE/ NO.
TOWN/ [as per TOWN/ [as per
LOCATION Fig. 1] Fig. 1]

57 Karachia F/6 90 Samastpura N/18

58 Karali H/19 91 Samiyala E/14
59 Karodia G/8 92 Sankarda F/3
60 Kashipura H/20 93 Sangma D/14
61 Kelanpur N/15 94 Sareja E/17
62 Khalipur H/17 95 Sayajipura N/10
63 Khanpur F/10 96 Sevasi E/ll
64 Khatamba N/12 97 Shankarpura N/13
65 Kotali L/8 98 Sherkhi D/9
66 Kotna B/7 99 S1pura N/9
67 Koyali E/7 100 Slndhrot C/9
68 Kumetha 0/7 101 Slava 1/5
69 .Mahapura D/ll 102 Sokhda H/4
70 Makarpura J/15 103 Sokhdakhurd E/15
71 Maneja 1/15 104 Sukhilpura L/7
72 Manjalpur J/13 105 Sundarpura K/17
73 Maretha 1/16 106 Taj pur C/14
74 Mastupura N/19 107 Talsat H/15
75 Morlipura 0/7 108 Tandalja H/12
76 MuzurGamdi' K/16 109 Tarsali L/14
77 Nandesari D/5 110 Tatarpura 0/13
78 Navapura 0/15 111 Undera F/8
79 Nimetha P/8 112 Untlya J/20
80 Fadmala F/5 113 Vadadla L/14
81 Padra C/15 114 Vadsala 1/20
82 Patarveni M/19 115 Varnama 1/19
83 Patod F/16 116 V1kotariya H/3
84 Pavlepur 0/12 117 V1saiyed G/ll
85 Raghavpura N/18 118 Venial! J/8
86 Ranoli . E/5 119 Virod L/5
87 Ratanpura M/14 120 Vishwamitri 1/12
88 Rayaka D/3 121 VoraGamdi L/16
89 Sama K/9

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and in itself is a major source of pollution.

The Dhadhar river rises from the hills south of Pavagadh. It has in all,
5 tributaries and sub-tributaries in Baroda district.

The Vishwamitri river, a tributary of the river Dhadhar, originates from

the Pavagadh hill and bisects Baroda city into two. It is an effluent
carrying seasonal river.

The Surya river, a tributary of the river Vishwamitri originates from

the Pavagadh hill ranges. The Ajwa. reservoir has been constructed by
damming this river.

The Jambuva, another tributary of Vishwamitri, originates near Vesania

village in Waghodia taluka of Baroda district.

CLIMATE AND RAINFALL :

The climate of Baroda city is characterised by a hot summer, and general

dryness, except during the monsoon season. The year may be divided into
four seasons.

Winter is from December to' February, January is the coldest month with
a mean daily maximum temperature of about 30.1°C, and a mean daily
minimum temperature of about 10.6°C. Baroda is sometimes affected by
cold waves in association with western disturbances passing , across north
India when the minimum temperature may near the freezing point of water.
Winds blow from the north or north-east during the post-monsoon and early
winter months.

The summer season is from March to June. The day temperatures during
May are the highest, with an average o£ about 42.5°C. The heat,
particularly in the latter part of the summer season is intense and on
individual days, temperatures may go upto about, 46°C. During this period,

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relative humidity is less than 30% in the afternoons. The summer winds
are mostly from directions ranging between south-west and north-west.

The period from June to September is the south-west monsoon season. Winds
are generally light with some strengthening in force during the late summer,
and early part of the south-west monsoon season. The average annual
rainfall in the study area is 900 mm. The rainfall in the district,
increases, generally from the west to the east. About 95% of the normal
annual rainfall is received during this period, with July being the rainiest
month. The variation in the annual rainfall from year to year is large.
The monsoon season is associated with westerly or north-westerly movements
of depressions movements in the Bay of Bengal towards Gujarat.

On an average, there are 42 rainy days [i.e. days with rainfall of 2.5
mm, ± 10%]. With the onset of the monsoon, in early June, there is an
appreciable drop in the day temperatures, but nights are as warm as during
the summer. During this season,relative humidity ishigh, generally
exceeding 70%. Skies are generally heavily clouded or overcast during
the monsoon [Gazetteer of India, Baroda district 1979].

October and November constitute the post-monsoon season. By the end of

September, there is a slight increase in day temperatures and a secondary
maximum in day temperatures is reached in October. However, the night
temperature decreases after the withdrawal of the monsoon. After
mid-November, both day and night temperature decrease rapidly. Cloudiness
rapidly decreases in the post-monsoon season. Except in the monsoon, the
air is dry throughout the year.

FLORA :

The Baroda district as a whole, Is badly deficient- in forests. The area

of forest in the district was found to be 766.54 sq.km in 1970-71. The
Government of India have laid downthat forests should form 33% of the
total area. However, the totalforest area of the district Is about 9.4%

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of the total area, as against 8.87% area of the State. These forests consist
of "Dry Mixed Deciduous Types". The study area has scanty patches of
degrading forests. Most of the land is cultivated or has bulit-up areas.

The main floristic elements of the study area are as follows : Sag [Tectona
grandis ], Limbda [Melia azadirchta], Babul [Acacia arabica], Khakharo
[Butea frondosa ], Amli [Tamarindus indicus ], Garmala [Cassia fistula].
Tad [Phoenix sylvestris], Vad [Ficus glomerata], Pipal [Ficus religlosa],
Bordi [Zizyphus jujuba] etc.

FAUNA :

With the great increase in human activity and an increase in population,

there has been considerable changes in habitats, and most of the larger
manmals which were fairly common and familiar, are now either locally
extinct or endangered. The important fauna of the study area are as
follows : Common langur, fox, rabbit, blackbuck, nilgai or blue bull,
dog, donkey, cow, buffalow, cat, bullock and domestic animals.

The study area has a rich and varied avifauna. The important birds are :
Grebes, pelican, heron, egret, ibis, duck, eagle, hawk, vulture, quail,
partridge, pigeon, dove, parakeet, cuckoo, owl, kingfisher, roller, barbet,
bee-eater, crew, myna, bulbul, etc.

Also, the study area has poisonous and non-poisonous snakes and a good
variety of fishes.

COMMUNICATION AND TRANSPORT :

Baroda city, the headquarters of Baroda district, is amply connected to

all parts of the country by all three major modes of transport viz. rail,
road and air. Baroda has no sea-port.

Baroda State was the pioneer among Indian States to initiate railway

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construction in its territories . in 1869. At present Baroda is served by
the following railway lines :

[1] Bombay Central - Surat - Baroda - Mathura - new Delhi line [Broad
Gauge].
[2] Baroda - Anand - Ahmedabad - Viramgam line [Broad Gauge],
[3] Jambusar - Vishwamitri - Dabhoi - Chhota-udepur line [Narrow Gauge],
[4] Chandod - Miyagam - Karjan - Malsar line [Narrow Gauge].
[5] Dabhoi - Samlaya - Timba line [Narrow Gauge].

National Highways [NH] are the main highways serving predominantly, as

distinct from State purposes, and run through the length and breadth of
India, connecting major parts, foreign highways, capitals of States, and
strategic routes of importance for the defence of the nation. The Bombay
- Delhi National Highway No. 8 [Plate : 1] runs through the district
connecting Baroda with Bombay, Surat and Bharuch to its south, and
Ahmedabad, Mehsana and New Delhi to its north. Besides this, there is
a vast network of State highways which connect Baroda with the rest of
the towns and villages of the study area and district.

There is a direct air-link with Bombay and New Delhi. Flights are operated
on a nearly daily basis by Indian Airlines.

SCOPE OF WORK :

Developmental activities associated with urbanization and industrialization

have played havoc with the geo-environment. Shortages of land and drinking
water, degradation of agricultural land Into transitional and barren land
are some of the related manifestations. The macadamised roads of Baroda
are in a sorry plight due to wrong usage of construction material.

Taking all this into consideration, this research was taken up with an
aim to make an in-depth study of the following parameters :

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Geology and geomorphology
Solis of the area, their occurrence, distribution, physico-chemical
and geo-technical properties.
Land-use
Evolution and development of Baroda through the ages
Surface and sub-surface water - its qualitative and quantitative
assessment
Climate of the city
Baroda's roads.
Appropriate remedial measures have been suggested.

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