Identifying Parameters for Resettlement of Dam Displaced Population Using GIS-based Digital Elevation Modelling

Resettlement refers to the displacement of the existing population to a new distant location. Dam-induced resettlement is a development-driven form of forced migration that occurs when people from an existing settlement have to compulsorily leave their habitat and relocate to a suitable location. This is because infrastructure projects such as dams are essential for development and require large parcels of land for their construction and supporting infrastructure. In such a case, a large mass of land is acquired by the government for its construction and functioning. The need, therefore, arises to resettle the population in the areas declared unfit for habitation due to the construction of the dam. The displaced persons are not only uprooted from their land but also from their social and economic environment. The construction of the dam thus, has a significant impact on the socio-economic well-being of the displaced population. This study is an organized attempt to identify the submergence zone of the dam and formulate a site selection matrix for the dam-displaced population of the Parbati Irrigation Project, Madhya Pradesh, India. Digital Elevation Modelling (DEM) in Geographic Information System (GIS) as a tool has been used in the present study for identifying the submergence zone and spotting the site for the displaced population. This study will be instrumental in devising a framework for resettlement planning in the case of dams. The formulated process for parameter identification and matrix formation can be applied to similar cases of dam-displaced population needing resettlement in other developing countries.