Land Use/Land Cover and Change Detection Mapping in BinpurII Block, Paschim Medinipur District, West Bengal: A Remote Sensing and GIS Perspective

Abstract

Land use and land cover change have been among the most important perceptible changes taking place around us. Although the magnitude, variety and spatial heterogeneity of changes taking place have made the quantification and assessment of land use and land cover changes a challenge to scientists [1]. Information on land use/land cover in the form of maps and statistical data is very important for spatial planning, management and utilization of land. With the changing times and increasing demand on the availability of information on land use/land cover, it becomes necessary to have a standard classification system, precise definition on land use/land cover and its categories, uniform procedures of data collection and mapping on different scales over Indian region [2]. Remote Sensing and Geographical Information Systems (GIS) are the essential tools in assessing and analyzing land use/land cover changes. These tools also provide the synoptic information on land use/land cover, mapping of land use spatial distribution and the detection of changes by means of multi-temporal analysis. This article seeks to examine the distribution of different land use/land cover categories and their changes occurring from 1970-1971 to 2010-2011, trend in land use/land cover changes in Binpur-II block, Paschim Medinipur district, West Bengal (Fig. 1). The importance of Remote Sensing and GIS techniques in mapping the change detection has also highlighted.