Land Resources Information System for Sustainable Land Use Planning

Earth observation satellites provide the vantage point and coverage necessary for studying our planet as an integrated physical and biological system. Land use planning involves the inventory of the land resources and taking stock of the present scenario. Land use planning does not only involve suggesting alternate land use but also should consider factors, which affect the other types of land use. The present study can help in the reconnaissance survey of the area as well as integrating the information to look at different scenarios in the landscape and plan for sustainable use of the land. The approach has given good insight into the areas potential for alternate land use. The action plan prepared using this approach shall help the administrators in taking decisions regarding resource use and mobilization of support for a change. The action plan not only serves as a guide but also as a blue print for natural resource management for sustainable development. Compilation and collation of information of the area under study is the preliminary task in planning. The availability of remotely sensed data at high spatial and temporal resolutions has facilitated the planners to access natural resource information at a rate faster than never before. Land use map is the first map, which any planner would need to look at the extent of use to which the land is put. For purposes of planning at the district level the 1:50,000 maps generated using the IRS-P6 data were found to be suitable. Soil map and hydrogeomorphology map were the preliminary dataset generated from the satellite data. Information derived by integrating and analysing the above factors was produced as derivative maps which are the action plan maps.