In the last half decade, rapid urbanization and industrialization have significantly changed the land use/land cover pattern in rural areas, particularly in nearby areas of National Capital Region (NCR) of Delhi. Jharli and its surroundings have also witnessed land acquisition and subsequent rapid industrialization in recent past i.e. from 2004–05 onwards. One such example of planned industries has been the location of Super Thermal Power Plants and allied industries for generation of electricity in Jharli and nearby villages in 2006. This land acquisition and subsequent industrialization has directly affected the land use/land cover in six villages namely Jharli, Mohanbari, Goria, Khanpur Khurd, Khanpur Kalan and Wajitpur Tappa Birhor. Present study is based on comparison of land use/land cover of 2004–05 and 2011–12 in these villages. Four major LULC categories like built-up (including industrial, commercial and settlement), agricultural land, water bodies and forest land have been delineated, mapped and compared. It is found that area under agriculture, forest and water bodies has decreased by 28.27, 1.38 and 0.021 percent respectively whereas built up has increased by 29.68 percent. This change further accentuates the problem of shrinking productive agricultural land in NCR of Delhi.
Geospatial technology, land acquisition and industrialization, land use/land cover change
