Land information of Durgapur area with focus on industrial usage
Apart from landuse data, data on administrative divisions, land ownership, infrastructures such as roads, railways, high voltage lines, water supply mains, sewerage and treatment plants were also collected on 1:15,840 scale. All industrial premises were delineated and coded on a map of similar scale, their chimneys and discharge outlets were also marked. Whereas data on physiography, surface flow direction, drainage network, geomorphology, soil, geology, geo-hydrology and geo-technical aspects were collected on 1:50,000 scale from government authorities, for overlay on 1:15,840 maps by matching registration points. Detailed attribute data (location, size, production, wastes, risk factor, pollution category etc.) related to the industries were also collected. Attribute data related to each mouza or ward, as the case may be, related to population, agriculture and proportion of land under different land class (according to Census) were also recorded. However, discussion of such data is not within the scope of this paper. The entire database is drafted and maintained in a manner ready to be automated into a spatial database and analysed by GIS.
Although maps of two different scales have been used, there will be no major problem in overlaying, as they have 50 common registration points (intersection of latitudes and longitudes). The overlay procedure of such maps through geo-referencing would be familiar to anyone accustomed to GIS environment. Accuracy would not be compromised in using maps of two different scales at the overlaying phase, since themes with ‘fuzzy’ boundaries (Burrough, 1986), such as physiography, soil, hydrology, are on maps of similar but smaller scale (1:50,000), while themes with discrete boundaries such as land-ownership, roads, landuse etc. are on maps of larger scale (i.e. 1:15,840). At present the maps are drafted on polyester films (mylar) so distortion due to temperature or humidity changes or warping would not affect them.
Landuse Classification
The landuse classes were selected according to the local characteristics, so as to include and distinguish the typical landuse types of the area. It was found that following general landuse classifications such as USGS Level - I & II scheme (Anderson et al. 1972, 1976), or that of other applications (Zobrist et al, 1976, Ioka and Koda, 1986) would not be suitable for this area. Even though the landuse pattern used in the District Census Handbook (Census of India 1991) was noted for each mouza it was not sufficient for the detailed study. Therefore a landuse classification scheme was devised which has 12 major classes and altogether 33 sub-classes. The classification is as follows:
LANDUSE CLASSES:
Residential
Township / quarters Rt
Urban Ru
Sparse settlement (s)
Very congested (dense) settlement (d)
Hospital related (leprosy colony) Rh
Rural Rr
(with) Poultry Rp
(with) ‘khatal’ (i.e. local diary) Rk
Slum Rs
Commercial – residential mixed M
Cremation: Burning Ghat / Burial Ground Bg
Commercial (pure) C
Petrol pump Cpp
Coal dumps / coal burning Cd
Institutional L
Educational Ie
Medical (hospital / nursing homes with id-number) Im
Administrative offices Ia
Defence / armed forces Id
Public service Is
(e.g. PS, Municipality, PWD, PO, Telecom, Fire Brigade,
Waterworks etc.)
Recreational P
Park, Playground, Open Stadium Po
Cinema, Theatre, Clubs, Indoor Stadiums Pc
Cultural, Religious, Fair grounds Pf
Transport T
Road, Railways Tr
Garage, Terminus, Servicing Tt
Air strips or aerodromes Ta
Vacant O
Wastelands, Wilderness, Barren land Ow
Dumping ground Od
Vacant (transitional phase) Ot
Murrum quarrying (lateritic surface) Om(L)
Water Body W
(River, lake, pond, reservoir, canal, streams)
Land prone to inundation (including land under cultivation) Wi