A STUDY ON THE IMPACT OF RIVER SYSTEMS ON RURAL-URBAN MIGRATION: EVIDENCE FROM PURBA MEDINIPUR, WEST BENGAL.
Author(s): Soutik kr. Das Mahapatra
Authors Affiliations:
State Aided College Teacher, Department of Geography, Egra S.S.B College, West Bengal, India
DOIs:10.2015/IJIRMF/202601022 | Paper ID: IJIRMF202601022This study examines the impact of river systems on rural-urban migration in Purba Medinipur, West Bengal, focusing on how environmental stressors influence household mobility decisions. Using a mixed-methods approach, primary data were collected through a questionnaire survey of 120 households and in-depth interviews with 15–20 respondents. Quantitative findings show widespread exposure to flooding, riverbank erosion, and agricultural land loss, leading to significant livelihood disruptions and income reduction. Over half of the households reported at least one migrant member, indicating migration as a common coping strategy. Thematic analysis of interview data reveals four key themes: environmental insecurity, livelihood disruption, migration as adaptation, and institutional gaps. Together, these findings demonstrate that migration in Purba Medinipur is not solely an economic choice but a response to intersecting environmental and socio-institutional pressures. The study highlights the need for strengthened river management, livelihood diversification, and more effective support mechanisms to reduce migration-driven vulnerability.
Soutik kr. Das Mahapatra (2026); A STUDY ON THE IMPACT OF RIVER SYSTEMS ON RURAL-URBAN MIGRATION: EVIDENCE FROM PURBA MEDINIPUR, WEST BENGAL, International Journal for Innovative Research in Multidisciplinary Field, ISSN(O): 2455-0620, Vol-12, Issue-1, Pp. Available on – https://www.ijirmf.com/
1. Chakraborty, S. K. (2010). Coastal environment of Midnapore, West Bengal: Potential threats and management. Journal of Coastal Environment, 1(1), 27-40.
2. Dutta, S., & Chakrabarti, S. (2015). Rural-urban linkages, labor migration & rural industrialization in West Bengal. THE INDIAN JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS, 397-411.
3. Dutta, S., & Mistri, B. (2020). Rural Livelihood in Coastal Environment: A Case Study of Lachhimpur Mouza in Sankarpur Coast, West Bengal.
4. Ghosh, R., & Mal, S. (2017). Impacts of rural labour migration of south Bengal: A case study of Bankura and Purulia districts of West Bengal, India. Global Journal of Human-Social Science, 17(7), 25-32.
5. Hossain, Sk & Thakur, Sandeep & Al-Quraishi, Ayad. (2022). Coastal vulnerability assessment of India’s Purba Medinipur-Balasore coastal stretch: A comparative study using empirical models. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction. 77. 103065. 10.1016/j.ijdrr.2022.103065.
6. Mondal, D., Jana, S., & Paul, A. K. (2023). Urban Sprawling and Its Emerging Consequences in Response to Climate Variability: A Study in Coastal Urban Areas of Digha, Contai, and Haldia Using Remote Sensing Approach. In Crisis on the Coast and Hinterland: Assessing India’s East Coast with Geomorphological, Environmental and Remote Sensing and GIS Approaches (pp. 431-443). Cham: Springer Nature Switzerland.
7. Muggah, R. (2016) “Development specialists must get to grips with fragile cities.” Article prepared specifically in support of the: Cities, Violence and Order project of the Institute for Development Studies at the University of Sussex, U.K. 06 January 2016.
8. Oduro, C. Y., Adamtey, R., & Ocloo, K. (2015). Urban growth and livelihood transformations on the fringes of African cities: A case study of changing livelihoods in peri-urban Accra. Environment and Natural Resources Research, 5(2), 81.
9. Okeke F. O (2021) Analysing the Role of Architects in Achieving the Sustainable Cities Goal by 2030 In University-Led Knowledge and Innovation for Sustainable Development. Edited by F. A Anyogu, C.A Eme, J. A Ogbodo published by Boldscholar Research Ltd. Abuja, Nigeria Pp. 104-112
10. Punjabi, Bharat & Johnson, Craig. (2018). The politics of rural–urban water conflict in India: Untapping the power of institutional reform. World Development. 120. 10.1016/j.worlddev.2018.03.021.