The Impact of Land Use Land Cover on the Flood Plain of Bhagirathi River, Purba Bardhaman District, West Bengal, India

Abstract

Aims: Human interference is the most important factor to change the LULC pattern over the earth surface. Land cover means to the physical parameters and land use means the cultural components. The present study associated with the changes in land uses a land cover pattern for the simultaneous changes of geomorphic features as well as the changes in the course of the river. This work is mainly going to summarize the changing behavior of land use land cover areas of a river bank in several decades. Place and duration of the Study: The research area traced in between 24°00’00’’N to 23°16’15’’N and 88°12’00’’E to 88°28’00’’E, which is situated in the eastern part of Purba Bardhaman District, West Bengal. Methodology: Entire study made by GIS techniques through the uses of topographical sheet (SOI-1960, Scale 1:50,000) and Satellite data (2002, 2008 & 2016). Through the help of superimposition technique the changes of river course have been identified which is directly affecting the LULC pattern of the entire flood plain. Result: The study reveals that the entire area changes their LULC pattern which reflects the entire flood plain. Conclusion: Due to the high interference of human physical elements as well as water bodies, sand bar, fallow lands are being decreased in past decades, whereas settlement patches are continuously growing up. It means for the necessity of human livelihood human always have been modifying the land in different ways.