GENERATION OF G.I.S. DATABASE FOR LAND COVER STUDIES OF RURAL AREA AROUND ROORKEE

Abstract

The predominant rural character of India has necessiated emphasis on rural development, which is becoming an national meant the according to a plan, instead/it had meant the provision of certain incentives in the markOt economy. This mobilisation and reallocation of national natural resources require mainly the data regarding quaLay and quantity of resources on a spatial basis, In addition, the planning process needs to present the outcomes of different allocation patterns in terms of their potential consequences. It can only be attained through the simulation of the development plan. This modelling, in terms of resources for rural development requires a rural database coupled with modelling techniques, specially for land cover/use studies. Ever increasing growth in human population and its environment has put a high thrust on land and its use, which results in fast land cover patterns,which.should be monitored properly. Geographic Information System, due to its capabilities in terms of management, analysis and manipulation of spatial data, can efficiently be used for planning rural development, specially for land cover/use related studies. A database is required to be develoivA based on which further analysis in a GIS environment can take place. inevitable and essential component of the development. In India, planning has never mobilisation and allocation of national resources, Therefore, this study has been aimed at generation of a GIS database which could be used to study and monitor the land cover/use of rural areas. It also aimed at proposing a suitable methodology for integration of various data forms (i.e.topographic maps, field data, and remotely sensed data) at a common base and resolution, as well as efficient for computer processing. The generated database was further analysed to study the land cover change pattern for 1966 to 1989. It was observed that visual and digital interpretation techniques are compatible in terms of establishing the trends of change in land cover classes. Some recommendations have also been made in the present study, regarding modifications in the adopted methodology, type of data, and equipments used, to refine the results. This database is expected to find its use in terms of planning and monitoring rural development activities, hydrological investigations, agricultural surveys etc., after upgrading the database with respect to the additional specific data for that study.