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Abstract
In Meghalaya, one of the coals producing state in India has been observed in the form of ecological degradation, depletion of land & forest cover, soil, air and water pollution, particularly in the Bapung area of Jaintia Hills. In the present study, multi-spectral and multi-date remote sensing data has been analyzed using both visual and digital analysis techniques in conjunction with intensive ground truth information for the detection of temporal changes and subsequent impacts on land cover. The results showed that out of total 700.2 Km2 area, 19% has gone under change during the last 12 years (1983-95). Pine forest, grass land, agricultural land and coal mining areas consisting of coal mine, coal dump and colliery spoils have increased by 2.9%, 2.8% and 1.2% respectively whereas the broad leaves forest and agricultural land have decreased by 1.6%, 1.5% respectively. The changes have effected the socio-economic and ecological condition of the area. The overall decline in productivity of agricultural crops could be due to the deposition of coal particles, waterlogging through seepage water. Soil erosion, depletion and degradation of primary forests may have resulted in some loss of bio-diversity.