Geography Land Utilization in Bellary District 1999-2000 And 2009-10

Land utilization is an important predicament for planning process because of the finite nature of land resources. Bellary district in Karnataka covered an area of about 499264 hectares comprising nearly 61.39 percent under net sown area in 1999-2000, which has come down to nearly 436067 hectares or 53.62 percent in 2009-10. Area under forest there is no changes, area under non-agricultural land increased by 0.02 percent, other uncultivated area increased by 0.01 percent, while fallow land also increased by 7.75 percent during the study period. Among the talukas of the district, overall volume of change is greater in Siruguppa, Hagari Bommanahalli and in Bellary talukas above 10 percent because due to dynamic conditions existing there. Nearly 5 to 10 percent index of volume change medium dynamic was observed in two talukas namely Sandur and Hospet. Less than 5 percent index of volume of change was observed again in two talukas namely Kudligi and Hadagal


Introduction
Land use pattern means distribution of land or uses of land for different purposes such as forest, fallow, uncultivated, etc. Such distribution depends upon various factors. Agriculture is one of the main occupation in most of the district in Karnataka state. Geographers and Agricultural Scientists and so many others are engaged in the study of agricultural landuse. Here an attempt has been made to study the land use pattern in Bellary district from 1999-2000 to 2009-10.

Methodology and Data Source
Secondary data has been used from District Statistical Office, Bellary from 1999-2000 to 2009-10. Simple method of volume of change in land utilization has been used. Index of volume change in land utilization has been indicated by X/Y, where 'X' is summation of difference of percentage of land use categories of increase and 'Y' is that of decrease for the period from 1999-2000 to 2009-10. X & Y should be same but with opposite directions. The average of percentages of land utilization has been calculated taking 1999-2000 as the base years and 2009-10 as the last years. For analyzing the changes in land utilization, the method used by Dr. Jasbir Singh (1974) has been applied. We have also calculated the matrix of coefficient of correlation in different categories of land use for different talukas in the district from 1999-2000 to 2009-10.

Objectives
The objective of this paper is to know the differences in land utilization in Bellary district from 1999-2000 to 2009-10.

Study Area
Bellary district is one of the 27th district in Karnataka state. The district bounded on the north-west by Gadag, on the north by Koppal district, on the north-east by Raichur district and on the west by Haveri, on the south by Davangere, on the south-east by Chitradurga district of Karnataka state, on the east are Ananthapur and Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh state. The district covering an area of 8420 sq.kms it lies between 14° 30′ and 15° 50′ north latitudes and 75° 40′ and 77° 11′ east longitudes. The distance from north to south and east to west it is spread over a distance of 186.7 kms and 161 kms respectively. The geographical location on an average of 461 meters height from the sea level. It consist of 7 talukas there are 189 village panchayat and 517 villages. The Tungabhadra river forms an administrative boundary dividing the district on the west.

Land Utilization in Bellary District
Agriculture is the important occupation of the study area. So, more than 70 percent of the people are working in agricultural activities in Bellary district. Here five major categories of land utilization have been considered for the study.
They are: 1) Area Under Forest, 2) Area Not Available for Cultivation, 3) Other Uncultivated Land, 4) Fallow Land and 5) Net Sown Area. The land utilization in Bellary district from 1999-2000 to 2009-10 is depicted in the following table 1.1. The volume of change has been computed and shown in the table 1.2 for each talukas of Bellary district.
During the study period of ten years, the net sown area has decreased by about -7.77 percent. Area not available for cultivation has slightly increased by 0.02 percent, other uncultivated land has also increased by 0.01 percent, there is no change in forest land use. However, fallow land has increased by 7.75 percent during the study period.

1) Area Under Forest
In 1999-2000, Bellary district had 97017 hectares of total geographical area under forest. There is no any changes i.e. increase or decrease in forest land amongst all talukas of the district during the study period.

2) Area Not Available for Cultivation
This category includes two decision (a) Land put to non-agricultural uses and (b) Barren & uncultivated land. These areas would be no more available for cultivation. In 1999-2000 the total area under this category was 121979 hectares (15%) of the total geographical area. The area not available for cultiva-ReseaRch PaPeR tion has increased in Siruguppa (0.14%) and in Bellary (0.01%) talukas. In other talukas of the district there is no positive or negative results, same landuse under this category.

3) Other Uncultivated Land
Other uncultivated land is divided into three major groups, which includes (a) land cultivable waste, (b) permanent pastures and grazing land, (c) land under miscellaneous trees, crops, etc. which is not included in net sown area. In 1999-2000 the other uncultivated land was 33875 hectares (4.16%) of the total geographical area. It increased by 4.17 percent (33917 hectares) in 2009-10. Out of the seven talukas of the Bellary district, except Hadagali taluk, all talukas fall under positive trend was observed 0.02 percent in Hagari Bommanahalli and 0.01 percent in Kudligi, Hospet, Sandur, Siruguppa and Bellary taluk respectively in this period.

4) Fallow Land
This type of land use category of fallow land includes current fallow and other fallow land. In 1999-2000, the fallow land was 61061 hectares (7.51%) of the total geographical area. And it increased by 124080 hectares (15.26%) in the year 2009-10. A positive change was observed in Siruguppa by 24.48 percent, Hagari Bommanahalli by 10.79 percent, Bellary by 10.11 percent, Sandur by 6.82 percent, Hospet by 5.45 percent and Hadagali by 1.51 percent. Hence, a negative change was observed in only one taluk i.e. Kudligi by 1.94 percent in the study region.

5) Net Sown Area
This category includes all those areas, which are used for cultivation. In 1999-2000 in Bellary district 499264 hectares (61.39%) area was under net sown area. Net sown area was decreased by 436067 hectares (53.62%) within ten years or within one decade i.e. 1999-2000 to 2009-10. A positive change is observed in Kudligi taluk by 1.19 percent. A negative change is observed in other six talukas of the Bellary district namely Siruguppa by 24.62 percent, Hagari Bommanahalli by 10.78 percent, Bellary by 10.13 percent, Sandur by 6.84 percent, Hospet by 5.46 percent and Hadagali taluk by 1.51 percent in the study period of Bellary district.

Suggestions
There is some scope for expansion of agriculture and manufacturing industries. Population pressure has tremendously increased on the land but net sown area have to be tremendously increased, there is little scope for expansion of agriculture except for multiple cropping for the environmental balance it is very necessary to increase area under forest. Fallow land has to be decreased in Bellary district.