Land Use and Land Cover change detection of Indra river watershed through Remote Sensing using Multi-Temporal satellite data

Land use and land cover is an important component in understanding the interactions of the human activities with the environment and thus it is necessary to be able to simulate changes. Empirical observation revealed a change in land use land cover classification in Indra river watershed located in Hoshangabad district (M.P). In this paper an attempt is made to study the changes in land use and land cover in Indra river watershed over 14 years period. The study has been done through remote sensing approach using Land Sat imageries of October 1992 and November 2006. The land use land cover classification was performed based on Satellite imageries. GIS software is used to prepare the thematic maps. The present study has brought to light that forest area that occupied about 15.01 per cent of the study area in 1992 has increased to 25.57 per cent in 2006. Built up area, water body and Waste land also have experienced change. Farm land (Agricultural land/open land) has decreased from 84.16 per cent to 68.40 per cent of the total area. Proper land use planning is essential for a sustainable development of Indra nadi watershed.