A Spatio-Temporal Study of Rural Settlement Attributes Between ADC North Sonaichhari and non-ADC Hrishyamukh Villages of South Tripura District

The study of settlement is basic to human geography as the form of shelter in any particular region not only reflects man’s response to his environment but also the religious and social customs of his society. It is for all these reasons that a genuine effort has been made for empirical study of rural settlements through collection of primary data by structured questionnaire. During field survey using random sampling techniques, 160 households were visited and persons interviewed in order to gather knowledge about different dimensions of settlement characteristics in Autonomous District Council (ADC) administered Sonaichhari village and non-ADC Hrishyamukh village. The analysis of data revealed that out of 100 per cent, 21 per cent of settlements in Hrishyamukh are of katchha type while it stands at 30 per cent in case of tribal inhabited Sonaichhari village. The Hrishyamukh village is having 14 per cent settlements with reinforced cement concrete (RCC) structure but the Sonaichhari village is have meagre four per cent dwellings with RCC foundation. In respect of availing sanitation facility, 94 per cent of households in tribal Sonaichhari village use katchha house while it is 49 per cent in Hrishyamukh village reflecting disparity in cultural perception of surrounding environment and varying stages of social conformity upon space.