Land Use and Land Cover Change Dynamics using Geospatial Techniques of Palasbari Revenue Circle, Kamrup district, Assam, India

Abstract

The study of Land Use and Land Cover (LULC) changes have become one of the main aspect to understand the temporal and spatial transition of the earth in terms of interaction between human and nature. The balance between human and natural space should be even to maintain sustainability and achieve sustainable development. For the purpose to analyze the LULC of the Palasbari revenue circle three satellite images from three different years are taken into consideration. These are Landsat 2 (MSS) 1980, Landsat 7 (ETM+) 2000 and Landsat 8 (OLI) 2020with spatial resolution 60 m, 30m and 30m respectively. The images are processed using ArcMap 10.1 and ERDAS Imagine 2014 software to produce 8 land use/ land cover classes through supervised classification in the study area. The results of the analysis showed that the agricultural land in 1980 was 202.79 sq. kms which decreased to 130.28 sq. kms. in 2000 and further again increased in 2020 to 172. 05 sq. kms. The reason behind this is very high river bank erosion by the Brahmaputra during the period 1980-2000 and deposition of sand bars during 2000-2020 periods. Similarly there are changes in the other classes as well. Sand bars, water bodies and vegetation areas showed a very fluctuating change through these 40 years. The reasons again behind these are connected to river bank erosion and increase in human settlement. So, from the study it is observed that the area have very much resource potentiality and through proper decision making and management these resources can be optimally utilized for sustainable human development.

Keywords: Brahmaputra River, Image processing, LULC changes, Palasbari revenue circle, River bank erosion, Sustainable  development.