Ans. An urban agglomeration may consist of
Q 2. Distinguish between rural and urban settlements?
Ans. Rural Settlement:
Ø Population size is low in these settlements
Ø Rural people are less dynamic and social relations are intimate.
Urban Settlement
Ø Non agriculture work is the main occupation in these settlements and 75%
Ø Population is engaged in these activities.
Ø Population size is large in these settlements
Ø Urban people are dynamic and their social relations are formal and complex.
Ø Streets are not well drained
Ø Houses are close to each other and their size is small.
Dispersed
Ø These settlements are found in hilly regions or desert areas
Ø Settlements are neat and clean with drainage arrangements
Ø Houses are big and are located at gaps
Ans. (i) Physical feature-
A- Nature of land-Relief
B- Altitude
C- Climate and water supply.
(ii) Cultural and human factors-
A- Caste
B- Religion.
A- Political disturbances
B- War.
Q 5. Name those towns which have become mega cities?
Ans. The following towns have become Mega Cities : Greater Mumbai, Kolkata, Delhi, Chennai, Bangalore and Hyderabad.
Q 6. What are garrison towns? What is their function?
Ans. Garrison towns are those towns which are established for security functions during the British rule. Their main function is related to defense. For example, Ambala, Jalandhar, Babina, etc.
Q 7. Define human settlements.
Ans. Human settlement means clusters of dwelling of any type or size where human beings live. It refers to an organised colony of human beings together with buildings in which they live or use and the paths and streets over which they travel.
Q 8. Name the towns that have developed in India after independence?
Ans. Modern towns have developed in India after independence. The British and other Europeans have developed a number of towns in India. They first developed some trading ports such as Surat, Daman, Goa.
Q 9. What factors are responsible for different types of human settlements?
Ans. There are various factors and conditions responsible for having different types of rural settlements in India. These include:
Ø Cultural and ethnic factors – social structure, caste and religion
Ø Security factors – defence against thefts and robberies
Ans. The Different types of rural settlements are:
1. Clustered Settlements-It is a compact or closely built up area of houses. Such
Settlements are generally found in fertile alluvial plains and in the north-eastern states. ex- Gangetic plains of U.P.
2. Semi-Clustered Settlements-In such settlements, the land-owning and dominant
community occupies the central part of the main village, whereas people of lower strata of society and manual workers settle on the outer flanks of the village. ex-Gujarat and Rajasthan plains.
3. Hamleted Settlements-When Settlement is fragmented into several units bearing a common name. These units are locally called' Panna, Para, Palli, Nagla, Dhani etc. ex-Chhattisgarh and lower valleys of the Himalayas.
4. Dispersed Settlements-Such settlements appear 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. ex Meghalaya, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh.
Q 2. Describe functional classification of town.
Ans. Functional Classification of Towns
On the basis of dominant or specialised functions, Indian cities and towns can be broadly classified as follows:
Ø Administrative towns and cities-Towns supporting administrative headquarters of higher order are administrative towns, such as Chandigarh, New Delhi, Bhopal, Shillong, Guwahati, Imphal, Srinagar, Gandhinagar, Jaipur Chennai, etc.
Ø Industrial towns- Industries constitute prime motive force of these cities such as Mumbai, Salem, Coimbatore, Modinagar, Jamshedpur, Hugli, Bhilai, etc.
Ø Transport Cities-They may be ports primarily engaged in export and import activities such as Kandla, Kochi, Kozhikode, Vishakhapatnam, etc. or hubs of transport such as Agra, Dhulia, Mughal Sarai, Itarsi, Katni, etc.
Ø Commercial towns-Towns and cities specializing in trade and commerce are kept in this class. Kolkata, Saharanpur, Satna, etc. are some examples.
Ø Mining towns- These towns have developed in mineral rich areas such as Raniganj, Jharia, Digboi, Ankaleshwar, Singrauli, etc.
Ø Garrisson Cantonment towns- These towns emerged as garrisson towns such as Ambala, Jalandhar, Mhow, Babina, Udhampur, etc.
Ø Educational towns- Starting as centres of education, some of the towns have grown into major campus towns such as Roorki, Varanasi, Aligarh, Pilani, Allahabad etc.
Ø Religious and cultural towns- Varanasi, Mathura, Amritsar, Madurai, Puri, Ajmer, Pushkar, Tirupati, Kurukshetra, Haridwar, Ujjain came to prominence due to their religious/cultural Significance.
Q. Discuss the classification of Indian towns on the basis of their evolution in different periods. Also give their features.
Ans. The classification of Indian towns on the basis of their evolution in different periods are as follows :
a. Ancient Towns:
i. The number of towns in India have a historical background spanning over 2000 years. Most of them have developed as religious or cultural centres.
ii. One of the important towns among the ancient towns is Varanasi.
iii. Examples of ancient towns: Prayag (Allahabad) Pataliputra (Patna), Madurai.
b. Medieval Towns:
i. In the medieval period there are about 100 existing towns.
ii. Most of them are headquarters of kingdoms and principalities. These are fort towns which came up on the ruins of ancient towns.
c. Modern Towns:
i. In India, European and British and European developed Modern Towns.
ii. Starting their foothold on coastal locations they first developed some trading ports such as Surat, Daman and Diu, Goa, Pondicherry, etc.
iii. Then the British consolidated their hold around three principal modern towns Mumbai (Bombay), Chennai (Madras) and Kolkata (Calcutta) and built them in British style.
iv. Rapidly extending their domination either directly or through control over the princely states they established their administrative centres, hill towns as summer resorts and added administrative, new civil and military areas to them.
v. Towns based on modern industries also evolved after 1850. Example: Jamshedpur.
Q. Differentiate between Hamletled and Dispersed Survival Settlements of India?
Ans. Hamletled settlements: When a village is fragmented on social and ethnic factors, its units are separated from each other. They bear a common name. These units are called pauna, Para, Palli, nagla and dhani. Such villages are more frequently found in the middle and lower Ganga plains.
Dispersed settlements: Isolated settlements are called dispersed settlements. These are found in forests, on hill slopes and fragmente fields. These include hamlets of few huts. Dispersion of settlements is caused by extremely fragmented nature of the terrain. Many areas of Meghalaya, Uttaranchal, Himachal Pradesh and Kerala have this type of settlement.
Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving Questions
Q1. A village located in a flood-prone area
in India faces annual displacement issues. Suggest a sustainable settlement
plan for the village.
1. Site Selection and Elevated Housing:
Relocation to Higher Ground: Identify nearby elevated areas
that are less vulnerable to flooding for resettlement.
Stilt Houses: If relocation isn’t feasible, construct houses on stilts or elevated platforms to prevent floodwaters from entering homes.
2. Flood-Resistant Infrastructure:
Build flood-resistant infrastructure such as elevated
roads, embankments, and retaining walls to reduce the impact of floods.
Use durable, water-resistant materials for housing
construction to ensure longevity and minimize damage.
3. Community Shelter and Safety Zones:
Create
community flood shelters on elevated ground where villagers can take refuge
during floods. Develop designated safe zones with access to food, clean water,
and medical supplies during emergencies.
4. Integrated Water Management:
Construct rainwater harvesting systems and floodwater
drainage canals to manage excess water efficiently.
Restore wetlands and plant mangroves or other
flood-resistant vegetation to act as natural barriers.
5. Livelihood Diversification:
Promote flood-resilient livelihoods such as aquaculture,
poultry farming, or handicrafts to reduce dependency on flood-prone
agriculture.
Provide skill training and microfinance support to help
villagers diversify their income sources.
6. Early Warning Systems and Education:
Install early warning systems to alert the community about
impending floods.
Conduct awareness programs and drills to educate villagers
on disaster preparedness and response.
7. Collaboration with Authorities:
Work with local government and NGOs to implement flood
mitigation measures and secure funding for infrastructure projects.
Ensure that settlement plans comply with local
environmental regulations and disaster management policies. (explain any five)
Q2. Coastal villages in India frequently
experience damage from cyclones and sea-level rise.
What steps can be taken to make these
settlements disaster-resilient?
Answer:
i. Cyclone Shelters: Build multi-purpose cyclone shelters that can serve as schools or community centers during normal times.
ii. Mangrove Plantation: Encourage mangrove afforestation as a natural barrier against storm surges.
iii. Disaster-Resistant Housing: Construct homes with materials and designs
that can withstand high winds and flooding.
iv. Early Warning Systems: Install advanced weather
monitoring and communication systems to alert residents well in advance.
Q3. A historical town that originated as a
trading post is now losing its significance due to the development of modern
highways bypassing it. What measures can you suggest to revive its economy?
Answer:
i. Promote the town as a heritage tourism destination, leveraging its
historical significance. ii. Develop local handicrafts and cultural festivals
to attract tourists. iii. Establish small-scale industries or business hubs to
provide employment.
iv. Improve
connectivity by developing feeder roads to link the town to highways.
v. Encourage digital entrepreneurship by offering incentives for startups and tech-based businesses.
Q4. A city selected under
the Smart Cities Mission is experiencing challenges in implementing waste
management technology due to a lack of awareness among citizens. What steps
would you take to improve the situation?
Answer:
i.
Conduct awareness campaigns through social
media, local TV, radio, and community events to educate citizens about waste
segregation and recycling.
ii.
Introduce rewards for individuals or
neighborhoods that perform well in waste management. iii. Provide training
sessions for citizens on using smart waste management technologies, such as
sensor-enabled bins.
iv.
Collaborate with schools and colleges to include
waste management topics in educational activities.
v.
Regularly update citizens on the progress and
benefits of the waste management system. Q5.
A Smart City faces water scarcity due to overexploitation of groundwater.
Suggest smart solutions to address this issue.
Answer:
i. Install
smart water meters to monitor and reduce excessive water consumption.
ii.Develop
rainwater harvesting systems across residential, commercial, and institutional
buildings. iii. Promote the reuse of treated wastewater for landscaping,
industrial use, or irrigation.
iv. Use
IoT(Internet of things)-based sensors to detect and repair leaks in the water
supply system efficiently.
v. Educate
residents about water conservation through community programs and digital
platforms.
HIGHER ORDER THINKING QUESTIONS
Q1. Urban settlements often experience the
phenomenon of "urban sprawl." Evaluate its impact on both the natural
environment and socio-economic structures.
Answer:
Environmental Impact:
•
Leads to deforestation and loss of biodiversity
due to land conversion.
•
Increases pollution levels as more vehicles are
required for commuting.
•
Strains natural resources like water and energy.
Socio-economic Impact:
•
Creates unequal access to services like
healthcare and education, especially in peripheral areas.
•
Increases cost of living as infrastructure
development lags.
•
Reduces agricultural land, impacting food
security.
Q2. Analyse the role of trade and commerce
in the evolution of ancient towns. How does this compare to the role of
technology in the evolution of modern cities?
Answer:
Ancient Towns:
*Trade and commerce were central to the growth of
pre-historic towns like Harappa and MohenjoDaro, ancient towns like Pataliputra
and Madurai which were located near trade routes and rivers.
*Towns developed marketplaces and infrastructure to support
merchants and artisans.
Modern Cities:
*Technology drives urbanization by enabling industries, IT
hubs, and smart infrastructure which led to the development of modern cities.
*Digital connectivity facilitates economic activities
globally, reducing reliance on physical marketplaces.
While ancient
towns relied on geographical advantages, whereas modern cities thrive on
technological integration and global networks.
Q3. Critically evaluate the challenges in
maintaining the functional balance of towns that serve multiple purposes (e.g.,
educational, industrial, residential, commercial).
Answer: Challenges
include:
Infrastructure strain: Multi-functional towns require
extensive infrastructure to support diverse activities, often leading to
congestion.
Environmental degradation: Industrial activities can
conflict with residential and recreational needs.
Resource
allocation: Balancing resources like water and electricity between functions
can be difficult. Social inequality: Disparities may arise between industrial
workers and professionals in educational or residential zones.
A balanced approach with integrated urban planning, zoning
regulations, and sustainable practices can address these challenges.
Q4. Critically analyze whether the Smart
Cities Mission addresses the issues of inclusivity and affordability in urban
development.
Answer:
Focus on Citizen Participation- The
Smart Cities Mission emphasizes participatory governance by involving citizens
in decision-making processes through digital platforms and offline
consultations.
However, marginalized groups, especially those lacking
digital literacy or access, may not effectively participate, limiting
inclusivity.
Provision of
Affordable Housing- The mission aims to provide affordable housing for all,
especially for economically weaker sections.
Yet, rapid urban development under the mission often leads
to gentrification, pushing low-income populations to city outskirts, thereby
reducing affordability.
Technology-Driven
Solutions- The mission heavily invests in high-tech infrastructure like
IoT, smart grids, and surveillance systems, which enhance urban efficiency.
These solutions, however, can increase operational costs
and exclude economically disadvantaged groups who cannot afford to benefit from
such advancements.
Addressing Basic
Infrastructure Gaps- Projects focus on water, sanitation, and waste
management, which directly improve living conditions for all, including the
urban poor.
In practice, resource allocation often Favors affluent
areas, neglecting slums and informal settlements, undermining inclusivity.
Equitable Economic
Opportunities- Smart cities aim to create jobs and enhance livelihoods by
fostering innovation and entrepreneurship.
However, the benefits often skew towards skilled workers
and technology-driven industries, sidelining unskilled labour and informal
sectors.
