New Delhi, March 3 -- Urbanisation is reckoned as one of the most salient events in human history as urban areas have played a major role in transforming the social, economic and political equations. However, decades ago, urban areas occupied a small fraction of the land but now, their rapid and extensive expansion has significantly modified the landscape pattern.

The United Nations (UN) has estimated that by 2050, the world's urban population will increase by 68 per cent out of which 90 per cent increase would be witnessed by Asia and Africa. Urban areas occupy a small part of the globe's land but their intensive growth has weighty changed the natural environment resulting in immeasurable effects. The rate of urban land proliferation i...