Indian Journal of Science and Technology

Abstract

Background/Objective: To present an investigation on the land use/land cover change of the Muhuri River basin with the help of Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) analysis from the year 1972 to 2016. Methodology/ Analysis: The remotely based satellite images have been used to realise the LULC change of the study area. Within the period of 44 years (1972-2016), especially, the dense forests and open forests have been decreased by 93.17% and 77.54% respectively, whereas the main driving factors like settlement and rubber plantation have significantly gained 6.66 percent and 24.91 percent respectively. The NDVI results have articulated the fact that healthy vegetation with high DN value has declined significantly. Findings: The overall findings of the research indicates that the immigrants from the neighbouring country has mainly hampered the sustainability of the forest cover within the study area, whereas, their subsequent interferences had changed the existed land cover into different land use categories as settled area, agricultural land or rubber plantation; increase in degraded forest area becomes alarming for the life of the River Muhuri. Novelty/Improvement: Above all, the study has analysed some specific changes in the basin environment and raised the finger towards the sustainable use of the natural resource.

Keywords: Accuracy, Forest Cover, Land Use/Land Cover, NDVI