This paper uses remote sensing (aerial photographs and satellite images) combined with field checks and surveys to measure the loss of agricultural land to urban expansion in Saharanpur City between 1988 and 1998. It shows how such techniques allow a detailed mapping of land use changes and includes details of the location of the agricultural land losses, the nature of the land use changes that caused these and the quality of the agricultural land that was lost. The paper also describes which non agricultural land uses were responsible for most of the agricultural land losses and discusses what these findings imply for India and for other nations where urbanization is reducing the supply of high quality agricultural land.
An explosive increase of urban population, practically in all major cities and towns, has the consequent strain on the existing system manifested in an environmental chaos. The phenomena of accelerated urbanisation is the main culprit, wherein besides bringing higher standard of living, it has also brought problems, as growth of dense and unplanned residential areas, environmental pollution, non-availability of services and amenities, solid waste etc. Remote sensing satellite data is suitable for urban land use mapping to get detail and upto-date information for environmental management. Where as GIS helps in developing database system for urban information, which supports decision making process. Development of digital database on all aspects of land use and urban planning is the next crucial task for the future in which remote sensing based information is going to play a major role. In Delhi, rise in population and growth in economic activity has led to environmental degradation. With this view an attempt has been made to study the quality of urban environment in the East district of Delhi, which is experiencing very high urban growth with 98.75% urban population in 2001. For this study Landsat ASTER (MSS) data of year 2001 (15 m Ground resolution), Guide map of the year 1982 and demographic and environmental data has been used. Eight parameters were selected, which affect the urban environmental quality, namely built-up area, open spaces, household density, occupancy ratio, population density, accessibility to roads, noise and smell affected area. The study shows that the quality of environment has been degraded when we compare 1982 and 2003 data. Most of the East district was in a better state of environment in 1982, but in 2003 things have been changed and now 50% area is in very good, fair and desirable condition. The public participation and involvement should be encouraged planning and decisions making for the improvement in better urban environmental quality.
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