ENVIRONMENTAL ACCOUNTING OF URBANIZATION IN MANDI TOWN OF HIMACHAL PRADESH
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Date
2021-11
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UHF,NAUNI
Abstract
ABSTRACT
The study entitled “Environmental accounting of urbanization in Mandi town of
Himachal Pradesh” was carried out during 2020-2021 in the Department of Environmental science
of the University. The study aimed at understanding the effect of town dwellers have on the biocapacity
by quantifying the resource consumption using a formula-based methodology, in order to
assess the ecological footprint which appraised the load of different components namely electricity,
water, food, material (paper), solid waste and transportation imposed by the residents of Mandi town
on the natural environment. Secondary data was collected through bills and primary data was
collected through a pre-tested questionnaire was developed in order to assess the ecological footprint
of the town by assessing the consumption pattern of dwellers on comparative basis and validated
through f-test. The total ecological and per capita footprint of town was 2145.88 and 30.51 gha. The
total and per capita EF of residential, commercial, industrial and rural area was 605.18, 643.27,
615.03, 282.58 gha and 5.16, 16.63, 1.49. 7.22 gha respectively and bio-capacity per capita was 0.049,
0.015, 0.021 and 0.282gha. Component wise contribution towards total EF was 314.11, 24.66, 807.59,
0.44, 164.89, 834.19 gha with respect to electricity, water, food, waste, material and transportation
respectively. The food and transportation component had significantly contributed towards the EF of
the all the selected areas of the town. The bio-capacity was found low and unable to sustain the
population residing in the town. The highest contribution of food and transportation component of EF
of the town might be ascribed to increasing urbanization in the Mandi town. To achieve sustainable
resource usage, strategies to lower ecological footprint must be implemented. Residents should be
encouraged to use: (i) Eco-driving, public transit, electric vehicle (ii) buy indigenous and organic, eat
fresh grown vegetables(iii) reduced use of heavy meat (iv) energy efficient gadgets and initiate green
buildings (v) waste recycling, kitchen gardening, install bio-gas plants (vi) water conservation,
recycling (vii) promoting recycle and re- engineering of waste material (viii) solar energy usage to
reduce EF in the town to maintain balance with the nature. People must adopt the concept of
“Local for vocal