A Study on Landuse/Land Cover change Detection and its Impacts on the Soil Quality of Nilachal (Kamakhya) Hills, Guwahati, Assam

The landuse/landcover (LULC) pattern of a region is an outcome of natural and socio-economic factor and their utilization by man in time and space. Remote sensing has become an important tool for identification and mapping of the global bio-geophysical process affecting the earth. Nilachal Hills located in the middle of Guwahati city of Assam, India is a famous holy place and a site of natural heritage. The study aims at detecting the LULC changes between 2000 to 2015 using Landsat image and understanding the impacts of LULC change on soil quality and also to study the environmental awareness of the inhabitants of the area. LULC map of the study area is prepared by visual image interpretation techniques. The study area has witnessed a decline of in forest cover from 202.38 ha in 2000 to 195.55 ha in 2006, 181.73 ha in 2011& 153.09 ha 2015. Most prominent changes have been observed in the built up area from 29.93 % to 32.30 %, 37.08 %,& 47 % in 2000, 2006, 2011& 2015 respectively. This study evaluated the influence of LULC in physico-chemical properties of soil which is critical for the unique ecology of Nilachal Hill. In order to reduce the impact of the excessive pressure on the natural ecosystem of the hill proper environmental management plan is suggested such as restoration of the forest cover of the area and checking on deforestation, building a township in the near vicinity of the area for temporary rehabilitation of devotees during Ambubachi Mela.