International Journal of Economic and Environmental Geology
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Appraisal of Deforestation and Forest Degradation in District Swat, Pakistan: Appraisal of Deforestation and Forest Degradation in District Swat, Pakistan
No full textDeforestation and forest degradation are not only a problem of north western mountainous region of Pakistan but it is one of the main global environmental issues. To find out deforestation rate and its extent in Swat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Landsat 5 (October 2, 2011) and Landsat 8 OLI (October 15, 2016) data were processed in Carnegie Landsat Analysis System (CLASlite v3.3). Primary data related to deforestation in Swat were also obtained from local people through a structured questionnaire. Primary data were analyzed in Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). Changes in land cover can be clearly identified during image analysis. The temporal analysis of forest cover between 2011 and 2016 showed a significant change in forest cover. About 11 km² area is converted from forest to barren land, while approximately 9,985 km² area of forest cover was degraded. The perceived causes of deforestation in the study area are unsustainable use and mismanagement of forest resources, population growth, plantation of eucalyptus and lack of basic facilities and awareness. However, community ignorance is the main factor responsible for deforestation and forest degradation. One of the major consequences of deforestation can be related to the total disappearance of Charchur waterfall in Talang Kota lower Swat in September 2016. Therefore, it is the right time to move toward sustainable management, detection and monitoring of national forest reserves by using geospatial tools, and by the involvement of local communities to participate in decision making about the conservation of forest resources
Assessment of Forest Resource Exploitation in the Rural Communities of District Jhelum, Pakistan: Assessment of Forest Resource Exploitation in the Rural Communities of District Jhelum, PakistanAssessment of Forest Resource Exploitation in the Rural Communities of District Jhelum, Pakistan
No full textForest resources are deteriorating and experiencing decline around the globe due to unsustainable use and over exploitation. The present study was an attempt to determine the relationship between human activities, forest resource utilization, extraction methods and practices of forest resource exploitation in the district Jhelum of Pakistan. For this purpose, primary sources of data were used which were collected from 8 villages through structured questionnaire and tabulated in Microsoft Excel 365 and SPSS 22 was used for multiple linear regression analysis. The results revealed that farming, wood cutting, animal husbandry and agro-forestry were the major occupations in the study area. Most commonly used resources included timber 26%, fuelwood 25% and fodder 19%. Methods used for resource extraction included gathering 49%, plucking 34% trapping 11% and cutting 6%. Population growth, increased demand of fuelwood and land conversion were the main reasons behind forest degradation. Results for multiple linear regression revealed that Forest based activities, sources of energy production, methods used for wood harvesting and resource extraction and use of fuelwood for energy production contributed significantly towards extensive forest resource exploitation with p value <0.5 within the study area. The study suggests that effective measures should be taken by forest department to control the unsustainable use of forest resources by stringent management interventions and awareness campaigns in Jhelum district
Low-Cost Resistivity Meter for Groundwater Exploration Using High Voltage Experimentations: Low-Cost Resistivity Meter for Groundwater Exploration Using High Voltage Experimentations
No full textResistivity survey is very well known for the exploration of groundwater and to determine the depth of bedrock. Generally, in Pakistan local drillers rarely use resistivity meter due to high cost of commercially available equipment. Therefore, most of the wells for groundwater are drilled without any feasibility survey, which causes economic and time loss. An inexpensive resistivity meter has been developed that can help the local community to conduct a survey for groundwater. This designed equipment is handy, portable, easy to operate and can be manufactured locally. This equipment costs 500 US Dollars (USD), whereas commercially available equipment costs 2500 to 50000 USD. The designed portable device comprises of a 12V DC battery, an inverter, multiplier circuit, DPDT switch and electrodes. A 12V DC battery is fed to an inverter to achieve AC supply of 220V. The achieved AC voltage is rectified to DC-voltage which is further enhanced up-to 1300 volts using voltage multiplier circuit. This high DC voltage is called High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC). HVDC is switched at very low frequency of 1Hz. Automatic switching is being accomplished by means of DPDT relay and its control circuitry. HVDC at low frequency is applied to the earth through electrodes to determine resistivity for different materials lying inside the ground with a penetration depth of 100 meters. This portable instrument would be useful to map surface lithological layers, determine quality of groundwater and bedrock level in accurate and inexpensive way
Exploring the Role of Locational Factors in the Growth of Textile Industry in Tehsil Jaranwala, District Faisalabad : Exploring the Role of Locational Factors in the Growth of Textile Industry in Tehsil Jaranwala, District Faisalabad
No full textIndustrialization is a procedure which contributes to the economy of a country and plays a pivotal role in the expansion of wealth and economic growth of a community. Textile industry has acted as the backbone of the industrial sector of Pakistan and has contributed a lot in the regional growth especially in Punjab. The present study is aimed to assess the role of locational factors that have proven favorable in the growth and successful development of textile industry in Jaranwala tehsil, Faisalabad district. An empirical research design was selected and Jaranwala tehsil was chosen as the study area. Both primary and secondary data sources were used, and primary data were collected through a fully-structured questionnaire. Five sample sites were selected, and 75 textile industries were visited, and data were obtained by interviewing the administrative staff of the respective textile units. The collected data were further arranged and tabulated by using Microsoft Excel 2010, SPSS 20; Paired sample T test was performed to check the significance between types of industries and factors affecting the location of surveyed textile industries. Distributional and thematic maps were prepared with the help of Arc GIS 10.1. The result of the study showed that availability of raw material, cheap labor and better climatic conditions were the most favorable factors for the location of industries in the study area. The study recommends the further work on other types of industries following same pattern in order to understand their economic progress in regional growth and development of the study area
Rural Tourism, Income and Rapid Urbanization: Exploring the Nexus Using A Multi-Disciplinary Approach for Hunza, Pakistan: Rural Tourism, Income and Rapid Urbanization: Exploring the Nexus Using A Multi-Disciplinary Approach for Hunza, Pakistan
No full textServing the purpose of an early warning, this paper provides a multi-disciplinary analysis of how the changing dynamics of tourist arrivals can lead to rapid and unplanned urbanization. The improvements in infrastructure and communication systems under the aegis of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) in Gilgit-Baltistan have led to exponential increase in tourists arrival in recent years. Does this increase lead to increase in incomes and spurring an unplanned and rapid urbanization? Hunza district is taken as a case study on the basis of evidence suggesting that around 70 percent of total tourists Gilgit-Baltistan. To explore the relationship between tourists arrival and rapid urbanization, three types of data were used: survey data collected via questionnaires, secondary data from government sources, and Google images, Landsat-7 and Landsat-8 from remotely sensed data. Using cross-tabulations, this study suggests that tourists arrival led to increase in incomes, which were then spent on building commercial infrastructure. To cross check these results, land use land change study using GIS mapping was conducted for the last ten years period. It shows that rapid and unplanned urbanization has profound social and environmental implications for Hunza, if not managed properly and timely
Monitoring Expanse Near Lakhodair Landfill and Mehmood Booti Dump Sites of Lahore, Paksitan: Monitoring Expanse Near Lakhodair Landfill and Mehmood Booti Dump Sites of Lahore, Paksitan
No full textSolid waste management in any large urban city like Lahore requires special disposal measures. In this regard, Lakhodair landfill and Mehmood booti dump sites collect and handle major bulk of all the solid waste coming from ten towns of Lahore, with the city’s waste generation rate of being 0.84kg/capita per day. Spatial expanse of both the sites was calculated in Arc GIS 10.3 system. The findings clearly showed that the extent of both these dump sites had increased during 2006-2016 due to an enormous rise in solid waste generation. During 2006, the area of Mehmood Booti dump site and Lakhodair Landfill site was only 15 hectares and 17 hectares respectively. By 2016, this area had increased to 32 hectares and 52 hectares respectively. The mapping of these two sites can help in future researches based on investigating the disease patterns among people residing around these sites and by determining methane emissions in the study area
Analytical Review of Land Use Changes by Remote Sensing and GIS Techniques in District Gujrat, Pakistan: Analytical Review of Land Use Changes by Remote Sensing and GIS Techniques in District Gujrat, Pakistan
No full textAssessment of changes in land use and land cover through remote sensing and GIS is very important and key analysis. Urbanization has been continued by the rapid growth in the world economy so; it is the key study with regards to agriculture and urbanization. The aim of this study is to determine the loss of agriculture land and effects of increasing urbanization on surface temperature. For urban temperature impact analysis, distinctive time series of Landsat images have been chosen. Temporal analysis for different time series shows the decrease in agriculture land and increase in built up area. Urbanization increased the temperature up to 20C. Positive correlation is found between built-up area and temperature and negative correlation is found between green spaces and temperature. Unplanned urban sprawl and lack of proper irrigation system according to population are major problems in study area. Recent study will be helpful for decision makers to develop the sustainable environment policy in future
Environmental Degradation, Quality of Institutions and Tourism: New Evidence from Pakistan: Environmental Degradation, Quality of Institutions and Tourism: New Evidence from Pakistan
No full textThis study explores the effects of tourism, quality of institutions and FDI on environmental degradation in Pakistan for the two time periods i.e. 1996-2017 and 2000-2017. Quality of institutions is included in the time period 2000-2017 which is adopted from world governance indicators but due to lack of the data it has not been included in second time (1999-2017). To find out the relationship among given variables, Ordinary Least Square (OLS) regression was carried out, moreover, Breusch-Godfrey Serial Correlation LM test, Heteroscedasticity Test and Histogram-Normality test were also applied to diagnose the econometric issues in the given models. The findings of the study revealed that tourism is significant and influential factor of environmental degradation in Pakistan. Similarly, foreign direct investment is also contributing in environmental degradation but its effect is insignificant for both time periods. On the other hand, an inverse relationship is observed between quality of institution and environmental degradation. The outcomes of the study suggest that environmental degradation can be overcome by increasing the quality of the institutions. Moreover, the government initiatives to attract foreign tourists by introducing new visa policy, which includes; electronic visa, on arrival visa and opening new avenues for tourists (e.g. Kartarpur Corridor and CPEC initiatives etc.) will have tremendous impact on the national economy. However, environmental degradation is the outcome of tourism, therefore, policy maker’s needs to consider the negative effects of tourism in addition to its positive effects on the economy
Mapping of Noise Propagation in Quarries for Environmental Perspective: Mapping of Noise Propagation in Quarries for Environmental Perspective
No full textIn this study noise measurements were made in a quarry belonging to a private, company located in the boundaries of Karaomerler village, Konya (Turkey). Noise levels were measured at 42 points, in the operation field and equivalent noise levels were determined and the results were mapped using NetCad program. With the help of the obtained noise maps, it is recommended to take preventive measures, where necessary. Proper reading of maps is crucial for effective and sufficient measures in terms of occupational health and safety measures have to be taken
Forecasting Carbon Dioxide Emission of Asian Countries Using ARIMA and Simple Exponential Smoothing Models: Forecasting Carbon Dioxide Emission of Asian Countries Using ARIMA and Simple Exponential Smoothing Models
No full textIndustrial revolution has increased the level of pollution due to emission of carbon dioxide in the past few decades. Resulting changes in the world’s climate are seen in the form of an increase in temperature which causes heat waves, diseases related to skin, cardiovascular and other respiratory illnesses in humans. According to a past study, overall contribution of continent Asia is 49% - 50% in the production of carbon dioxide. Therefore, data of carbon dioxide emission, heat and electricity, manufacturing industries, residential and commercial buildings, transport and other sources of Asian countries namely: Japan, Bangladesh, China, Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, Iran, Singapore, and Nepal from 1971 to 2014 have been taken for the present study. Empirical analysis shows that heat and electricity are the main cause to increase carbon dioxide emission in Pakistan, Bangladesh, India, Iran and Sri Lanka. Whereas this emission is increased in China due to residential and commercial buildings and transport variables. On the other hand, for Nepal and Singapore, these variables do not play any significant role in CO2 emission. Simple exponential smoothing (SES) and ARIMA models are used to forecast CO2 emissions. Furthermore, simple exponential smoothing is found appropriate for Pakistan and Sri Lanka based on the minimum FMAE. Whereas, for Japan, China, India, Iran and Singapore, ARIMA model is found suitable as it has minimum FMAE value. In Nepal and Bangladesh, both models have significant differences, so any one of them can be used for forecasting