Kochi City Research Articles

Ecological Flood Resilience Index (EFRI) to Assess the Urban Pluvial Flood Resilience of Blue-Green infrastructure: A case from a southwestern coastal city of India

Urban pluvial flood resilience planning must account for the ecological capacity to absorb, adapt, and transform with floods. Research on flood resilience indices highlights resilience as a normative condition, characterized by the return to equilibrium or the recovery time. However, the socio-ecological approach, including adaptive, absorptive, and transformative capacities is often overlooked, and the determinants of these capacities are underexplored. The present study addresses this gap by proposing an impact-based composite index to measure the flood resilience of urban Blue-Green Infrastructure (BGI). An eight-step procedure was used for the composite index construction. Statistical correlation and regression analysis established indicator appropriateness, and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was used for weighing and aggregation. The Ecological Flood Resilience Index (EFRI) was developed and applied to the city of Kochi, India to assess the ability of existing urban BGI to temporarily store, infiltrate, and delay runoff, indicating the capacity of the system to withstand urban flooding. The index was validated using crowd-based data followed by sensitivity analysis. The EFRI Map outlines that the highly urbanized low resilient central areas, marked by poor vegetation and disrupted natural drainage contribute to flooding in various parts of the city. A comprehensive analysis of the 37 % regions of the city that falls within ‘very low’ to ‘extremely low’ resilience is essential to understand the critical factors in flood resilient spatial planning. The proposed composite index is significant for its novelty and theoretical clarity in resilience evaluations, promoting a shift from risk-based to resilience approaches in urban flood management.

Assessing the Impacts of land Use Change on Carbon Sequestration: A Comprehensive Analysis for Kochi City, India

Land use typologies play a pivotal role in determining the carbon sequestration capacity of urban ecosystems. Ashuman activities continue to reshape landscapes, understanding the impact of different land uses on carbon storageis crucial for developing effective climate change mitigation strategies for cities. This paper aims to analyse therelationship between land use typologies and carbon sequestration. Carbon sequestered in the selected city i.e., Kochiis quantified using the InVEST Carbon Storage and Sequestration model (Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Servicesand Tradeoffs), coupled with remote sensing. The model uses input data on carbon pools including above-ground,below-ground, soil biomass, and dead carbon matter. The change in carbon sequestration with change in land usebetween 2003 and 2023 is calculated. The study reveals that there has been a reduction in wetland areas by 59 %which leads to 63% less sequestration of carbon highlighting the implication of land use on carbon sequestration.

A Study of Internal Working Female Migrants in Kochi City, Kerala

As migration is dominated by men, with women comprising either residual or dependent followers, its gender dimensions are rarely addressed in literature in India. The decision to migrate of women is often highly influenced by intra-household gender relations and hierarchies. They often migrate out of concerns of household poverty or to ensure family survival through remittances as supplementary income. In this context, the paper attempts to study the socio-economic background, and working and living conditions of working female migrants in Kochi city. It also examines the reasons for their migration, benefits received and the problems faced at work in the city. The paper is based on primary data collected from 184 female migrants working in urban informal labour market of Kochi city, Kerala State, during January to April 2023. The findings of the study revealed all the sample migrant women to be engaged in informal sector, owing to their low education and skill. While their push factors for migration were poverty and debt at native home, the pull factors to Kochi city included more regular employment and better income. They are largely self-employed and work as domestic help or street vendors. They work for hours longer than prescribed under minimum work hours, besides lacking social protection measures. Their perceived problems at work were low wages, work not regular and longer working hours. The major benefits of migrant family in Kerala were better employment and income, infrastructure and children’s education. The Lorenz curve shows that there is a significant decline in the income inequality among migrant households with the additional income earned by the female migrants. The study recommends the need for local language mediators, to help the migrants benefit from the State’s migrant workers welfare schemes.

Literacy for Disaster Resilience from “Downstream”: A Case Study of the Nankai Trough Earthquake Countermeasures in Kochi City

Disaster resilience is an interdisciplinary area of study. Collaboration between humanities and sciences is important to approach issues in this area. However, science and engineering consider disaster resilience as minimizing the scientifically estimated damage induced by natural hazards. In contrast, disaster resilience studies in the social sciences tend to focus on societal vulnerability. The views between the two disciplines can lead to inconsistency or contradiction. This paper discussed this issue. To do so, the author uses the case study focusing on the effects of predictions on Nankai Trough Earthquake countermeasures in Kochi City, Japan. First, this study revealed that not only the revision of hazard prediction but the historical background of land use development affected the large-scale earthquake damage estimation in Kochi City. Second, the upward revision of hazard prediction resulted in strengthening of community disaster management. However, it also accelerated residential relocation associated with class disparities. As a result, ironically, marginalized social groups were unevenly located in predicted tsunami inundation areas. However, such issues are not considered in the existing disaster resilience scheme and policy. Based on this analysis, it is argued that communicating scientific knowledge on hazards to society alone is not enough. Considering the local context, the perspective of literacy for disaster resilience from downstream’ is also important.

Assessment of Kerala Tourism Industry-An Economic Perspective

The paper throws a light on the status of tourism sector of Kerala, and as a major source of economic development contributor. It is positioned as ‘God’s Own Country’ by the Department of Tourism. Every year’s millions of people are attracted by the State due to its beautiful beaches, hills stations, backwater cannels, tea gardens, ethereal waterfalls, wildlife sanctuaries, festivals and friendly people. Kerala is one of the most popular destinations for both national and international tourists in India. September to March is the ideal time for visiting the state. Kochi City, Munnar, Thiruvananthapuram, Wayanad, and Guruvayoor are popular destinations of tourists. Foreign exchange earnings from the tourism sector have been in the increasing trend since last decade, except the duration of the covid effect. It is observed that the tourism sector is vital for the economy of Kerala and the initiatives taken by the Kerala Tourism Development Corporation would go a long way facilitating the development of the state. A study has been conducted to know and understand the current status of both domestic and international tourism vis-à-vis pre and post covid scenario. Simple average, percentage, and ranks are used to present and analyse the data for common understanding of the objectives. Advanced regression statistics like R square value analysis and correlation analysis is used to draw statistical inferences in the study. The authors in this paper genuinely feel that, the Hypotheses Test Results are expected to throw further light upon the utility of the study to the Academicians, Researchers, Policy Makers, and Industry Personnel as various means of Business Development and Socio Economic Contribution.

Post occupancy evaluation of IEQ parameters in residential buildings

The post-occupancy evaluation (POE) is a performance assessment of buildings in use that can help property owners and managers better understand how well a facility is working, how its performance compares to similar structures or set benchmarks, and how a building might be improved. A solid grasp of how a building works can explicitly link its actual performance to either new or existing building innovations or remedial measures. While there is a lot of information on POE in commercial buildings, there's not much in the residential sector. In this mini project, it is focussed to assess the satisfaction levels of the occupants and to quantify the IEQ parameters in a residential building. Sample sizes are determined, based on which a detailed questionnaire survey is conducted for the research. The city of Kochi, is the primary location considered due to its vivid factors both geographically and climatically.The project focuses on to identify the resident satisfaction level , quantify the IEQ parameters in a residential building and to suggest remedies if required. The findings and the results are analysed based on different factors. The findings will be useful for the prioritisation of the performance criteria of the buildings.

Activity based trip generation model for Mulanthuruthy Grama Panchayat

Systematic approaches to traffic problems could easily lead to efficient transport systems. In the case of the panchayat of Mulanthuruthy situated in south-eastern suburb of the city of Kochi in Kerala, the demand for travel gradually increases each year. In the coming years, current traffic systems may not be able to fully cover this growing mandate. Trip Generation is the first step in the Sequential Demand Modelling arrangement which is also called as the Four Step Transportation Planning Process (FSTP). The goal of trip generation modelling is to predict the number of trips, by purpose, that are generated in a study area. This paper focuses on factors influencing trip generation and to create a trip generation model for Mulanthuruthy Grama Panchayat. From the questionnaire household survey was conducted, correlation between variables and number of trip generated and cross tabulation of purpose and mode of transport is done

Empirical evaluation of change in crash risk due to lane marking reallocation: A case study in Kochi City, Japan

Lane markings are considered an essential component of a road system. As highlighted in previous studies, they are directly linked to efficiency and safety. The rearrangement or reallocation of lane markings can be an economical way to improve efficiency. However, such changes could influence driver behavior. Thus, there is a tradeoff between efficiency and safety. Through a case study in Kochi City, Japan, this study evaluated the change in crash risk caused by a lane marking reallocation. Video data were collected before and after the implementation of a new road layout (achieved by reallocating lane markings) that was intended to mitigate traffic congestion at a signalized intersection. Based on the video data, PICUD (Possibility Index for Collision with Urgent Deceleration), a surrogate safety index used to estimate collision risk, was estimated for lane changes and conflicts between leading and following vehicles in the through lane. In particular, it was confirmed that the collision risk between a lane-changing vehicle and a leading vehicle in the through lane was reduced due to the reduction in traffic density caused by the new road layout. In addition, the results indicate that the PICUD value tends to decrease (i.e., the crash risk tends to increase) with increasing speed of the following vehicle relative to the leading vehicle. Overall, the improvement in safety after the implementation of the new road layout was marginal and statistically insignificant. Therefore, this study highlights the necessity of incorporating speed control measures, such as speed limits, along with congestion alleviation measures in order to enhance safety.

Impact of Organizational Justice on Organizational Effectiveness among the Employees of a Public Sector Organization in Kochi

The objective of the study is to identify the impact of organizational justice on organizational effectiveness among the employees of a Public Sector Organization in Kochi. Organizational Justice has acknowledged excessive attention from researchers and it has become a normal subject in the field of industrial/organizational psychology. However, only a few research studies have been carried out to find the fundamental statement that organizational justice can improve the effectiveness of organizations. This empirical study was undertaken in the city of Kochi during the last quarter of 2022. A sample of 114 employees participated in the study. Data were collected by administering questionnaires through Google Forms, and e-mails and were analyzed with statistical tools. Results showed that there is a moderate positive correlation between Organizational Justice and organizational effectiveness. This research paper enhances the understanding of the Organizational Justice of the employees in the public sector organization of Kochi. Inferences from the findings were discussed and suggestions were given.

Managing Toxins and Making Water ‘Safe’: Consumer Buffering Practices in Contexts of Chemo-Uncertainty

When it comes to water quality, seeing is not believing; even clear-looking water can harbour nefarious elements that are harmful to health. To protect against water’s hidden toxins, Indian consumers are adopting technologies designed to filter and mechanically ‘heal’ the waters they consume. This paper ethnographically examines the use(s) of household water management technologies based on ten weeks of ethnographic fieldwork in the city of Kochi, Kerala. It contemplates the socio-economic and anthropological significance of measures to filter and alkalinise tap water and to transform ‘dead’ municipal waters into healing waters with the power to ‘cure cancer’. Technological and infrastructural innovation is a means to an end in these safeguarding efforts; it enables what I argue are ‘buffering practices’ that allow a potentially dangerous element to feel restorative and wholesome once more. These insights add to scholarship exploring the rise of middle-class solutions for water safety in contemporary urban India.

Preparation and Application of Monoclonal Antibodies for an Immune Complex Transfer Enzyme Immunoassay of an Egg White Allergen, Lipocalin-Type Prostaglandin D Synthase.

We have previously reported that lipocalin-type prostaglandin D synthase (L-PGDS) in egg white reacts with IgE antibodies from children with egg allergies. However, antibodies against chicken L-PGDS are not commercially available, and the amount of L-PGDS in egg white is unclear. In this study, we prepared four monoclonal antibodies against chicken L-PGDS and developed a sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and a highly sensitive immune complex transfer enzyme immunoassay (ICT-EIA) to quantify L-PGDS in hen egg whites. The detection sensitivity of ICT-EIA for L-PGDS (0.01 ng/mL) was 2,000-fold higher than that of ELISA, which could not be adapted to determine the amount of L-PGDS in egg white. Thus, ICT-EIA is a better method for quantification of trace allergens and expected to be applied to the quantification of other food allergens. Hen eggs (white-shelled eggs from Julia Lite hens, brown-shelled eggs, and iodine-enriched eggs from Boris Brown hens) were purchased from markets in Kochi City, Japan, and the amounts of L-PGDS in them were determined by ICT-EIA. The amounts of L-PGDS per hen egg white were: brown-shelled eggs, 1,179.3±214.3 μg/egg; iodine-enriched eggs, 607.7±126.1 μg/egg; and white-shelled eggs, 350.0±74.1 μg/egg. These results show that the amount of L-PGDS in hen eggs varies depending on the hen lineage; it could also be affected to some extent by other factors, such as feeds and breeding environment.

Prevalence of premenstrual syndrome and its effect on quality of work life in working women in South India.

Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is characterized by physical and affective symptoms that start during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle and improve on the onset of the menstrual cycle. The estimated prevalence in India of PMS is found to be 43%, but most studies have been done on adolescent and college-going females. There is a dearth of studies in India done on PMS in working women. The aim of this study is to estimate the prevalence of premenstrual syndrome in working women and determine its association with the quality of their work life. A cross-sectional study was conducted in the city of Kochi and five different groups of professional women were included in the sample population. A total of 600 participants were analyzed for sociodemographic data, premenstrual syndrome using the premenstrual symptoms screening tool and quality of their work life using the work-related quality of life scale. Chi-square test was applied to find the association of categorical demographic parameters with premenstrual syndrome and with quality of work life in women satisfying the criteria for PMS. A total of 48% of the participants screened positive for PMS and 35% of working women with PMS had lower quality of work life (P < 0.001). Highest educational qualification, occupation, and sexual activity were significantly associated with PMS and with quality of work life in women with PMS. There is a high prevalence of PMS in working women, which significantly affects their quality of work life. There is a need for further research in this area that can propel improvement in policies in the workplace to boost productivity and growth.

Effectiveness of a community-based education and peer support led by women’s self-help groups in improving the control of hypertension in urban slums of Kerala, India: a cluster randomised controlled pragmatic trial

BackgroundWith less than 20% of people with hypertension achieving their target blood pressure (BP) goals, uncontrolled hypertension remains a major public health problem in India. We conducted a study to...

Micro-plastics in the Vicinity of an Urban Solid Waste Management Facility in India: Assessment and Policy Implications.

The study focuses on analyzing the presence and quantity of microplastics near an unscientific solid waste dumping site located at Kochi city in India and thereby assessing the contribution of massive open dumping towards microplastic pollution in the river. Two sets of sampling with three sediment samples from nearby Kadambrayar river and five topsoil samples from various parts of the Brahmapuram waste dumping yard were carried out during January - February 2019. The samples were analyzed as per the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (US NOAA) protocol. ATR-FTIR and DSC analysis based characterization indicated that polyethylene dominated the micro plastics followed by polypropylene and polystyrene. The size distribution of particles showed that comparatively larger particles of size range between 2.36 - 4.75mm were present in the topsoil than that in river sediments which had more number of particles in size range below 2.36mm. The study confirmed the presence of an average of 100 microplastic pieces per 100 gram of sediments of Kadambrayar river bordering the waste dumping yard at Brahmapuram. The topsoil of Brahmapuram waste dumping yard was found to contain 178 pieces of microplastics per 100 gm of soil. Microplastics are found to be high in the river stretch near the open dumping site which has a significant role in the pollution, causing a major threat to the entire ecosystem.

A Study on Covid 19 Impacts and Survival Strategy of the Hotel Business Concerning Kochi City in Kerala

It is widely acknowledged that the hospitality sector is a part of the larger service sector and that it places more of an emphasis on experiences and luxury than on basic needs. It significantly influences the economics of several nations all over the world in a number of different ways. The most important contribution that industry contributes to a nation's economy is the development of new jobs. As an illustration, the agriculture and food producing industries, as well as the retail sector, both provide indirect jobs. Government taxes, foreign exchange, foreign direct investment, and other sources of income are just a few of the ways this industry makes money. The commercial value of the hospitality sector illustrates its significance. More than 1.2 trillion US dollars are generated annually by full-service eateries alone. The expansion of India's services sector has been considerably aided by tourists travelling to various locations. As a sub-segment of the services industry, restaurants, trade, and repair services are ranked third in India. Every sector of the global economy has been significantly impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. This study focuses on how the pandemic affected Kochi City's hotel business as well as the companies' crisis management techniques.

Age-Related Changes in Water and Nitrogen Utilization in Crop Trees and Understory Vegetation in a Hinoki Cypress Plantation Forest in Kochi City, Southern Japan

Age-related changes in water and nitrogen utilization of crop and understory vegetation in a hinoki cypress plantation forest were investigated from the age of 21 to 46 years in Kochi City, southern Japan. Nitrogen concentration in the leaf litter of hinoki cypress showed a decreasing trend with forest age. The leaf δ15N of hinoki cypress was related to a quadratic function and increased from the age of 21 to 26 years and then decreased to the age of 46 years. These results suggest that older hinoki cypress trees utilize soil nitrogen sources with lower δ15N values, and the competition for soil nitrogen with understory vegetation should be stronger. Carbon isotope discrimination (Δ13C) of hinoki cypress decreased from the age of 21 to 30 years and then increased to the age of 46 years. In contrast, the intrinsic water-use efficiency (iWUE) of hinoki cypress increased from the age of 21 to 36 years and then decreased to the age of 46 years. These findings suggest that hinoki cypress trees in the earlier time increased their iWUE by reducing stomatal opening. In the earlier time, the stomatal opening of understory vegetation increased due to higher soil water availability with decreasing stand density of crop trees. In the later time, the iWUE of hinoki cypress decreased due to lower photosynthetic capacity with nitrogen limitation. These results suggest that the increase in the iWUE of hinoki cypress in response to elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide levels should be smaller in the later time because of stronger competition with understory vegetation for soil nitrogen resources.

Floating Ground: Wetness, infrastructure, and envelopment in Kochi, India

The oceanic city of Kochi on the southwest coast of India is known for its abundance of water and as a hub of tourism and urban development. This abundance of water effects the ways in which urban infrastructures, often designed in the temperate climates of the Global North, can operate, and be maintained. In this article, I suggest that infrastructures such as sewers, roads, and rivers tend to separate water from land, thereby containing one to produce the other. In doing so, they render solid surfaces from which urban infrastructures are imagined. To imagine infrastructure otherwise, I attune to wetness, rather than water. I argue that attuning to wetness as an affective quality, changes the way one conceptualises infrastructure. To bring wetness and infrastructure together, I turn to the concept of envelopment where an object and its atmosphere can be brought into conversation. By drawing on ethnographic fieldwork in Kochi during the devastating floods of 2018, this article provides insights into how infrastructures might be reimagined in tropical urban settlements.

Perinatal Care Preparedness in Kochi Prefecture for When a Nankai Trough Earthquake Occurs: Action Plans and Disaster Liaisons for Pediatrics and Perinatal Medicine.

A Nankai Trough earthquake is highly likely to occur in near future, and perinatal medical resources and care in Kochi Prefecture may be insufficient after such an event. Therefore, we evaluated the medical and public health measures needed to prepare for caring for pregnant women in Kochi Prefecture in the aftermath of such an earthquake and the potential action plans for the prefecture. We estimated that immediately after an earthquake, approximately 30 pregnant women will require urgent medical treatment, most of whom will be in the prefectural capital, Kochi City, and perinatal medical care in Kochi City may be insufficient. Therefore, we used the projected flooding areas to divide Kochi City and its surrounding areas into 3 areas and allocated at least one Disaster Liaison for Pediatrics and Perinatal Medicine (DLPPM) to each disaster base hospital in those 3 areas. In a disaster, the DLPPMs will serve as key individuals in their respective areas and coordinate the allocation of medical care. A DLPPM will be allocated also within the Disaster Medical Response Headquarters of Kochi Prefecture and be responsible for overseeing perinatal care in the whole of Kochi Prefecture. Our study shows that estimating the number of affected pregnant women and requirement for perinatal medical care is an effective way to prepare realistic disaster measures and to enable a specific plan to be formulated for effective allocation and management of DLPPMs. We believe that our system can serve as a model in perinatal disaster medicine.

Treatment of vehicle wash wastewater by Fenton process and its recycling

A large number of vehicle wash centres are functioning in the state of Kerala, India and huge quantity of wastewater is generated at these service stations. Though, various treatment methods are available for the treatments of such wastewater, majority of the service stations do not have any treatment facility and the untreated wastewater is ultimately discharged off. This causes serious pollution problems. The aim of this study is to treat vehicle wash wastewater and make it reusable using Fenton process, an advanced oxidation process. Fenton process has already been proved to be effective in treating most wastewater. Wastewater samples were collected from a vehicle wash station in the city of Kochi, Kerala and characterization was done for various parameters. Factors affecting Fenton Process were identified and optimized by using Response Surface Methodology (RSM) for the percentage removal of turbidity, chemical oxygen demand (COD) and oil & grease. The results show that Fenton process effectively removes contaminants from vehicle wash wastewater making it fit for recycling.

Local Governance of Community Welfare: Case Study in the City of Kochi

本稿は，地域福祉のニーズの変化とその対応を，ローカル・ガバナンスの構造に焦点を当てて検討した．製紙工場の集積地として栄えた高知県高知市旭地域では，1990年代後半以降，新住民を中心とする再開発地区と老朽木造住宅が混在する地域へと変貌した．他方，入浴難民，単独高齢世帯，生活困難を抱えた孤立世帯や子どもなど，環境変化にともなうさまざまな地域福祉ニーズが生じた．これに対して，①住民組織代表のリーダーシップ，②収益の改善，③他機関との連携，を特徴とする地域住民の主体的な対応を軸にしたローカル・ガバナンスがそのつど形成された．住民組織と行政との関係は活動の展開過程において，対立から相互協力的な関係性へと深化した．このように，行政の役割の再定義も含め，地理学の視点からマルチスケールでローカル・ガバナンスの再構築の過程を検証することが求められる．