Urbanization II Effect on urbanization on Environment and population

 Meaning of Urbanization and Unmanaged Urbanization 

Urbanization is the process of converting rural and underdeveloped area into well-facilitated town areas with additional services and facilities like health, education, communication, transportation, entertainment, and others. Urbanization process increases total population with increased number of houses, buildings, service centers, roads etc. along with a parallel increase in drainage, sewage, narrow and congested areas, pollutants and population density. For a proper urbanization process, there must be appropriate town plan in the beginning. Haphazardly built houses have made main towns of Nepal including the capital city not fit to reside. There is high pollution, rivers have become dirty, temples and other public places are highly polluted, and roads have been congested and narrow. Unmanaged urbanization is the process of developing a place into urban area without conscious pre-plans and with haphazard development works, which create obstacles to protect healthy and natural environment. 

Effects of urbanization on Population 

a) Positive effects of urbanization on population 

1. Urbanization increases the access of people on education and health services. 
2. It increases the employment opportunities
3. Urban areas have more options for entertainment and mental calmness. 
4. It helps in uplifting the status of women. 
5. It increases the access of people in communication and information. 
6. It motivates people to have small family. 
7. It helps in uplifting the quality of life. 

b) Negative impacts of urbanization on population 

1. There is more practice of unhealthy and inhuman competition among people in different issues. 
2. The density of service seekers increases and it results in inconvenience among the beneficiaries. 
3. Urbanization increases the total consumption of goods and foods. So, there is high chance of scarcity and black marketing. 
4. It increases the probability of crimes and wrongs. 
5. Urban areas are crowded and burdensome. 
6. It increases pollution and human health is degraded due to unhealthy surrounding. 
7. Antisocial activities increase in town areas due to dense population. 
8. There is high chance of disputes and conflicts among many groups of people living in narrow and crowded areas. 
9. Due to overcrowded population in particular narrow area, unhealthy competitions to obtain facilities develop. High competition for survival develops in such areas. It results in different social disorders like pick pocketing, theft, quarrel, blackmail, abduction, coercion and crimes. 
10. Unmanaged urbanization may result in lack of basic facilities like drinking water, transportation, electricity, communication, health, education etc. because, there is haphazard and uneven establishment or construction of those services in case of unmanaged urbanization. 

Effects of urbanization on environment 

a) Positive Effects of Urbanization on Environment 

1. Urban areas have more population that can provide the higher number of experts and educationalists working in the field of environmental conservation. 
2. There are more numbers of educational institutions that can help in raising awareness against environmental degradation. Dissemination of knowledge and awareness is easier in town areas. 
3. The organizations working for the conservation of environmental conservation are mostly working in urban areas so that they can have access to the government facilities and assistance. 

b) Negative impacts of urbanization on environment 

i. Congested settlement 

Settlement of people becomes congested due to closely built houses and buildings. Difficulties arise even for making narrow paths to reach from one house to another. Such congested settlement leaves adverse effects on human development and quality of life. 

ii. Adverse effects of health 

Due to narrow and congested settlement, there is no proper diffusion of air. Fresh air cannot be obtained in residential areas. Draining canals cannot drain all sewage and it pollutes the environment. This creates favourable situations for the disease germs and life process becomes unhealthy. 

iii. Improper distribution of population 

Due to unmanaged urbanization, there is unequal distribution of services and facilities too. Migration of people has a tendency towards such facilitated place. Thus, it causes uneven distribution of population,. 

iv. Environmental degradation 

The merits of environment are spoiled due to unmanaged urbanization. More vehicles and industries pollute air, more production of liquid and solid wastes garbage, litters, etc. pollute soil and water resources. There remains no place for existence of biodiversity. Human population occupies all sectors of natural resources. In this way, environmental degradation becomes very rapid due to unmanaged urbanization.

Mitigating Measures for the Effects of Unmanaged Urbanization 

i. Practice of planned urbanization. 

There must be pre-plan of each development work with expert's assistance and town planners' contribution. Future impacts of development activities on the environment should be forecast earlier. These facts must be considered while doing development works. Drinking water supply pipes, roads, electricity lines etc. must be distributed to make them accessible for maximum number of people. Sufficient space should be managed for roads and paths in front houses and buildings. Proper air passages must be maintained by making appropriate spaces between houses. Drainage systems should be designed in scientific ways that they can collect and drain pollutant liquids easily. 

ii. Development of rural areas 

The basic facilities like roads, education, communication, electricity, entertainment, health services, etc. should be managed in rural areas. Rural development with such facilities retain people from town areas to rural areas. In this way, unmanaged urbanization in town areas can be controlled. 

iii. Employment opportunity 

Provision of employment opportunities in different parts of the country assures people for their easy survival in their hometown. Such opportunities discourage people to leave the native place. It controls rapid migration of people towards a common place. In this way, rapid and unmanaged urbanization is controlled. 

iv. Balanced development 

Development policy should be adopted on the basis of geographical and ecological status of a country. Development works need natural resources to obtain raw materials for its execution. Balanced development creates balanced opportunities for people in all areas. It balances the existence and exploitation of natural resources too. Proper and balanced utilization of natural resources helps in conservation of natural resources in town areas. In this way, balanced development can play a vital role as an effective mitigating measure of unmanaged urbanization. 

v. Development of dormitory or semi-urban areas 

Dormitory areas are the place which are on the way to become urban areas soon. Such semi-urban areas are basically located in the periphery of urban areas. Development of such areas helps in reducing adverse effect of overpopulation and unmanaged urbanization in the town areas.