Land Use-Land Cover

Land Use and Land Cover - 1 : 50000 scale

Land Use Land Cover information in 1: 50,000 scale is generated in the country using three seasons IRS LISS-III data of 2005-06, 2011-12 and 2015-16. 54 level-III classification system is used while mapping the land use / land cover classes. LU/LC categories are interpreted based on image parameters viz. tone, texture, pattern, size, shape and contextual association for delineating the Levels- I & II categories by Heads-on (onscreen) digitization methods. Change mapping is also carried out to depict the LULC change over 2005-06 to 2011-12 period.

This change LULC data has given insight of the major changes happening in the Land Use / Land Cover for the country. This enables the use of these database beyond the administrative boundary like river basin, geomorphic unit wise, agro climatic zone wise etc. Now these LULC database are being updated using 2015-16 ortho rectified IRS LISS-III satellite imagery. The LULC-50K information is hosted on Bhuvan –LULC 50K.

The project is executed with the participation of all state level organizations. This information is serving as base line information for many developmental programmes of the government and is of help for policy making for optimal management of natural resources. Researchers and climate modeler are using it as large scale and reliable input for hydrological modelling and climate studies.

National Wastelands Mapping : 1:50,000 scale

National wasteland mapping is being done at different time intervals since 1982. Presently, mapping has been completed 5 times since 1982 at NRSC. Waste land mapping was done during 1980-82 (1: 1 million scale- 8 classes), 2000 (1 : 250000 scale – 13 classes), 2003-04 (1:50000 scale-28 classes), 2005-06 (1:50000 scale-28 classes), change mapping during 2008-09, 2015-16.

Wastelands area estimates have served a basis for taking up wastelands reclamation by different states. Spatial maps and database can be utilized to identify the suitable areas for the establishment of various infrastructure projects in the different parts of the country. The database is also being used for watershed prioritization, identification of potential areas for agriculture / afforestation etc. Recent wasteland database is hosted on Bhuvan-Wastelands.