Darjeeling district is the northernmost district of West Bengal. It is located on the lap of the Himalayas adjacent to and surrounded by some Asian countries like Bangladesh, Neapl and Bhutan. This beautiful 'Queen of the Eastern Himalayan Region' is not only one of the very important tea producing centres of India but also enriched with natural beauty. The district comprises of four sub-divisions namely, Darjeeling Sadar, Kalimpong, Kurseong and Siliguri, While the first three sub-divisions of the district are on the lap of the hills. the Siliguri is mainly situated on the Terai and foothills of the district. The area covered by Darjeeling Himalaya is about 1721 Square Kilometres. Darjeeling Himalaya consists of a portion of the outlying hills of the lower Himalayas and a stretch of territory lying along the base of the hills known as the Terai. The river Teesta is the principal stream in the area while the Rammam and the Rangit are the two important tributaries of the Teesta. Besides, numerous rain fed rivulets in the hills are become the most dominating factor of environmental control during rainy season., Tourism and tea plantation are the two main industries of which tourism is a climate-based industry while tea plantations that earned fame for Darjeeling Himalaya, is also dependent on the climate. At recent past due to unprecedented growth of population and unplanned development in the hill areas, there has been massive deforestation in the hill areas for which frequent landslides, soil erosion, loss of property and life have become common feature.
Keeping all these in mind the Netaji Institute for Asian Studies has taken up this project for publishing one edited book entitled 'CLOUD STONE and the MIND (The People and Environment of Darjeeling Hill Area). Some very noted and knowledgeable geographers, geologists and some social scientists have come forward to contribute their knowledge in this edited book on The Darjeeling Hill Areas. Their valuable contributions in this era of studies are well known. We therefore very much grateful for their contributions in this book.
The history of Darjeeling seemed to have begun with the establishment of a hill station by the British East India Company in 1835. Before that the region was under the rule of the Raja of Sikkim. who after a deal with the company permitted to develop a sanatorium for its soldiers. Once the British got hold of the region, they started developing the region with planned programme, and we have got a new hill station in the form of Darjeeling.
The sloping terrain and appropriate composition of the soil found here were suitable for the establishment of tea plantations, and the British started to implement the idea during 1841. The huge success of the experiments gave immense scope for the cultivation of fine brand of tea which was initially imported from China and soon the entire area was covered with a number of tea estates. This development attracted migrants and laborers from the nearby regions like Nepal and also form Bihar and other parts of Bengal for working as laborers. They were also employed in other types of development works like construction and agricultural based projects. By the middle of the nineteenth century, the British established their full control over Darjeeling.
The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, which came into existence in 1881, was a landmark in the development of the region. It has geared up the development activities quicker than before. By the time the Missionaries came forward to establish and develop some high quality educational institutions which attracted students from around the world. Very soon Darjeeling was able to reflect its name on the education map of the India and world as a whole.
During the process of development the British had divide the area into two, viz; the eastern and western parts of the Teesta. In the western part they established all the tea gardens and in the eastern part in Kalimpong Sub-division they allowed all types of agricultural activities.
The British implemented rules and laws in Darjeeling which were normally applicable for the less privileged and economically less developed districts in the country. By the time the city had acquired a significant status among the members of the British ruling class and affluent citizens of the country. Soon it became a tourist destination attracting a large number of visitors every year and achieved the prestigious title, the "Queen of the Hills" by the British.
The Darjeeling Hill area is a fragile terrestrial system, which is much too often disturbed by various environmental catastrophe.
Landslide hazard is most important and recurring catastrophes. The region lies within the lesser and Sub-Himalayan belt of the Eastern Himalayas lying in between Sikkim toward north, Bhutan toward east and Nepal toward west. The southern foothill region is characterized by the east-west extension of highly dissected platform of terrace deposits. Geologically, full and exposed cross-sections of different tectonic units are found along the major rivers, which show distinct stratigraphy and their east-west trend.
The complex geological occurrences and associated slope patterns play important role in shaping the land use pattern of the hill areas. Here, land is the prime component with which man's interaction with nature begins, the extent and pattern of use of land reflects the degree of humanization and level of judiciousness of people; within acquired framework of socio-economic conditions and technological development in accordance with the adaptation of nature.
A comparative analysis of urbanization in the Eastern Himalayas as per 2001 database, reveals that Darjeeling hill area is the most urbanized (47 per cent), while Bhutan is least urbanized (11 per cent). Arunachal Pradesh has 20 per cent urbanization followed by Sikkim having 11 per cent. Darjeeling hill area also shares the maximum urban population, i.e., 52 per cent followed by Arunachal Pradesh having 23 per cent urban population. In the hill area, Darjeeling has been a city since 2001, with a population of more than one lakh while Kalimpong and Kurseong have 42 and 40 thousand populations respectively.
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