Evaluating Impact of Coal Mining Activity on Landuse/Landcover Using Temporal Satellite Images in South Karanpura Coalfields and Environs, Jharkhand State, India

Abstract

This paper investigates the spatio-temporal landuse/landcover changes in South Karanpura coal mine and surrounding areas during the period from 1992 to 2009. Land use/ land cover maps for the year 1992, 2004 and 2009 were generated through the visual interpretation of ETM and IRS-1D LISS-III satellite images with selective field checks. The majority of changes are identified over agricultural land, coal mining area and forests. The study revealed that coal mining area expanded from 10.06 sq. km in 1992 to 21.29 sq. km in 2004 and further diminished to 19.40 sq. km by the year 2009 due to reduction of coal reserve and decline in the coal production indicating 92.84% area increase in coal mining induced landuse changes primarily at the expense of cropland (-38.67%) and dense forest (-71.85%).