Wasteland management in India

Both the natural and anthropic factors collectively have been responsible for turning over productive lands into waste lands. Waste lands still possess capability to support some sort of productivity under proper management. Decisions regarding the use of reclaimed waste lands are decisions concerning the allocation of each wasteland plot on the basis of their productive potentiality and regional priorities. Obviously, it is desirable at planning stage to evaluate the terrain characteristics of waste lands carefully, to fit conservation practices. Therefore, an important part of wasteland evaluation is to match land use with the appro priate physical characteristics of a wasteland. Each wasteland plot has some inherent capabi lity and physical limitations. By evolving a suitable method, inherent suitability of waste lands for a range of possible landuses can be ascertained. Similarly, by assessing the require ments of rural community, an assessment of best possible management for each wasteland plot can be recommended to support agricultural and non-agricultural economy.
The book provides an introduction to waste land terrain evaluation and method to deter mine wasteland capability. The application of wasteland evaluation and management in development planning is elaborated by taking Deoghar district of Bihar State as an example.