Changes detection in land use land cover pattern using remote sensing and Gis in Kodaikanal town, Dindigul District

Land use and land cover changes of Kodaikanal hills by using multi-sensor satellite data and to monitor the changes in various land use / land cover classes using digital remote sensing techniques. The spatial coverage of each class may be visualized on both maps. The area of each class for the year 2006 and 2011 data has been compiled. The land use/ land cover maps prepared using the methodology of (Anderson et al., 1976) (LISS-III data of 2006) and (LISS-III data of 2011). The spatial coverage of each class may be visualized on both maps. The area of each class for the year 2006 and 2011 data has been compiled. The land use/ land cover map of year 2006, depicts that built up area constitutes 14% of total area, while the agriculture classes like Crop land, Fallow and Plantation covers 36% the study area. Water bodies and Barren land covers 1% and 4.5% of area respectively. The forest classes like forest plantation, forest Deciduous, Forest scrub and forest evergreen covers 49% in the study area. In year 2011, the built up area obtained from digital image processing techniques has been 34% of the total area. The agriculture covers an area of 26.5% which shows an area of 9.5% decrease in agriculture land. The water bodies cover 1% and the barren area is converted in to built-up area. The forest classes also showed a decrease of 10% area and the present forest covers 38% of the study area. The decreased classes in the agriculture and forest are converted in to built-up area which clearly shows the population increase. The study was successfully able to detect vegetation change and concluded that the area of the urban has increased whereas the area of crop land and plantation has been decreased within the period 2006-2010. Kodaikanal area is identified as one of the bio¬diversity area in India. Proper land use planning is essential for a sustainable development of Kodaikanal Taluk.