JAPRS & SIS, Vol.34, Part 7, “Resource and Environmental Monitoring”, Hyderabad, India, 2002 
LAND USE / LAND COVER ASSESSMENT STUDY FOR HBJ PIPELINE USING 
REMOTE SENSING AND GIS TECHNIQUES 
Neelakantan K, Manoj Raj Saxena And Raghavswamy V. 
Land Use and Urban Studies Group, N R S A, Hyderabad 
KEY WORDS: Land Use/ Land Cover, Remote Sensing, GIS, Pipeline Corridor, Environmental Impact Assessment 
ABSTRACT: 
Information on land use/land cover is the basic prerequisite for land resource evaluation, environmental assessment, utilization and 
management. A considerable degree of land transformations is being witnessed as a result of growing population pressure on the 
finite land resources consummating in deterioration of the environment. As a precursor, it is necessary to understand the ‘cause and 
effect’ of the transformations through scientific studies. The present study envisages the use of Remote Sensing and GIS in mapping 
Land use / Land cover of one km buffer area along HBJ Pipeline Route of 942 kms through the northern states of India viz 
Rajasthan, Delhi, Haryana, Punjab and Madhya Pradesh to cater the needs of different user agencies. Details of urban land, forest 
cover, agricultural land, wastelands, water bodies, major road/rail, etc were delineated and analysis is done. The basic satellite data 
selected corresponds to IRS 1D (LISS-III) multi-spectral data of January, February, March and April 2002 period. The present 
framework of land use/land cover classification is amenable for use with remotely sensed satellite data on 1:50,000 scale. The area 
under various land use / land cover classes for pipeline route are studied section wise. The analysis reveal that the agricultural land 
occupies maximum area, followed by wasteland, urban land and water bodies The length of various land use / land cover categories 
identified along the pipeline route shows that the pipeline predominately passes through agricultural land wasteland (mainly land 
with or without scrub). 
INTRODUCTION length of the pipeline. The entire pipeline route passes 
through diversified landscape. 
The changes in the local environment are reflected easily on 
the surface. Thus Remote Sensing has added a new 
dimension to know the ecological changes brought about by 
human activity. Mapping and monitoring of land use / land 
cover and its assessment forms the basic requirement for land 
resources management, environmental impact assessment. 
The dynamic nature of land use / land cover and its pattern of 
change is more pronounced in urban areas, along 
transportation corridor, pipeline corridors, mining areas, etc. 
  
OBJECTIVES AND METHODOLOGY 
= Analyze the land use/land cover maps prepared for the 
pipeline route length from Dadri to Nangal and its spur 
lines using remote sensing and GIS techniques. 
= Methodology involves: 
+ Standard False Colour Composite (FCC) of IRS 1D 
(LISS-III) is generation using band 2, 3 and 4 
respectively on 1:50,000 scale. 
+ Visual interpretation based on image characteristics 
like tone / color, texture, pattern, shape, size, 
location, shadow, association. 
ERDAS Imagine, a GIS Image processing software, is being 
used for rectification and image enhancement of IRS-1D 
WiFS data. 
  
STUDY AREA 
The area under land use /land cover assessment study IRS 1-D WiFS SHOWING PIPELINE ROUTE 
comprises pipeline route length of 941.78 km from Dadri to DATA BASE 
Nangal passing through the northern states of India viz. 
Rajasthan, Delhi, Haryana, Punjab and Madhya Pradesh. The The basic satellite data selected corresponds to IRS 1D 
study area extends upto 0.5km on either side along the total (LISS-III) Multispectral data of January - April 2002 period. 
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