An analysis of the nature and rates of
environmental change over recent decades is essential for a proper understanding
of why present environmental problems have arisen. It is also necessary to allow
formulation of accurate productive models of environmental change. In this
respect, information on the existing land use/land cover pattern, its spatial
distribution and changes in the land use pattern is a pre-requisite for
planning, utilisation and formulation of policies and programmes for making any
micro and macro-level developmental plan.
Land has been going through tremendous
transformations due to sprawls in agriculturalisation, industrialisation and
urbanisation. The changes in land use affect the ecosystem in terms of land
cover, land quality and capability, weather and climate, quantity of land that
can be sustained and in short the whole population and socio-economic
determinants.
Land use change detection using remote sensing
data (satellite and aerial) and analysis using GIS has been applied to both
rural and urban areas. The method is very efficient for assessing the change or
degrading trends of a region. Change detection involves the use of multi-date
(time series) aerial photos or satellite imageries of the study area, from which
land use maps can be generated by visual interpretation or digital image
processing. GIS analysis will give the actual area of each and every land use
classes and the area changed, through the overlay operation.
Present study
Kerala lying between 8
o18
’ to 12
o48
’ N latitude and 74
o25
’ to 77
o22
’ E
longitude is one of the small but beautiful narrow strip of land in the
south-western corner of the Indian Peninsula. The land use of the State
marks unique zonation from the hill ranges to the coast. The riverine
alluvium and the longitudinal stretch of coastal alluvium combination
covers nearly 10% of the total area and are potential for wetland paddy
cultivation. The upper reaches of the rivers particularly Periyar plateau
in the south and Wayanad plateau in the north, are significantly covered
with plantation crops like tea, coffee and cardamom. The midland zone or
foothills are primarily covered by rubber in the southern part; and
tapioca, cashew and pepper in the northern part. Coming further down;
tapioca, coconut and other tree crops are recorded, interspersed by paddy
cultivation in the river valleys. The low land, covering the coastal area
is dominated by coconut and partly by cashew and paddy. The diversity of
tree crops is mostly marked in the lowland-midland junction. The enriched
forests having high bio-diversity and economic value are confined to the
highlands mostly above 100m contour. The plantations are accommodated by
converting the forest area, as inherited from the colonial legacy of
developmental setting.
A major land use change that has occurred in
Kerala is the conversion and reclamation of paddy cultivated areas, both in the
lowlands and uplands to non-agricultural uses jeopardising the food security of
the State, when it is designated as a ‘Statutory Ration State’ with
over 60% need of food grain met by imports. Kuttanad region, known as the
‘rice bowl of Kerala’ is a predominant rice growing agricultural
wetland ecosystem of Kerala. The area under paddy cultivation in Kerala has
reduced from 8.02 lakh ha in 1980 - ’81 to more than 4.71lakh ha in 1995
– ’96. The State is worst affected by this phenomenon, because of
its impact on the health and socio-economic and living conditions of the people
and the ecological and environmental condition, with the state government
spending over 600 Crores of Rupees every year for rice imports from other
states.
The present study is envisaged to analyse the
causes and consequences of land use changes at the cadastral level and to
formulate an environment management plan in three selected panchayats of
Kuttanad region, viz, Pallipad, Ramankari and Kumarakom.
Objectives
The prime objective of the study is to analyse the
land use changes of the Kuttanad area with special focus on paddy field
reclamation. This study also intends to organise a decision support system
(DSS) for the area under study towards micro-level regional planning
around a GIS package. The major objectives of the present study are,
- To prepare land use/land cover maps of the
three panchayats using cadastral maps, aerial photographs and ground truth
survey.
- To analyse the land use/ land cover
changes during the last few years.
- To assess the various causes and
consequences of the land use changes and its impact on the wetland
agricultural ecosystem of Kuttanad.
- To suggest environment management options
for the area based on the study.
Study AreaThe study area includes the three panchayats in Kuttanad region – Kumarakom, Ramanakari and Pallipad, located between 9
08
’ to 9
052
’ north latitudes and 76
019
’ to 76
044
’ east longitudes. It is having the influence of
marine, estuarine and fluvial systems. Kuttanad has a total area of about
1157 sq.km comprising 66048 ha of wetlands; 31,086 ha of dry garden lands
and 18623 ha. of back waters.
Pallipad is the largest panchayat located in
the Harippad block of Karthikappally taluk in Alappuzha district comprising both
the parts of upper Kuttanad and Onattukara region. The total area of the
panchayat is 16.93sq.km with a total population of 23,606. The Panchayat is
bordered in the south by Thrikkunnapuzha-Mavelikkara road, the Chettikulangara,
Chennithala and Mannar Panchayats on the east, the Mannar, Veeyapuram Panchayats
on the north and to the west is the National Highway-47, which separates
Pallipad from Haripad and Karthikappally panchayats.
Ramankari is located about 14 km west
of Changanassery in the Velianad block of Alappuzha district. The geographical
area of the panchayat is 16.17 sq.km supporting a population of about 14026. The
panchayat is bordered by Pamba River and Velianad panchayat on the north, Muttar
and Kozhimukku panchayats on the south, Champakkulam panchayat on the west and
to the east by Velianad and Muttar panchayats.
Kumarakom (9
0 37’N Lat. and 76
0 25’E Long.;
51.67 sq.km) is situated on the eastern banks of Vembanad estuary, about 10km
west of Kottayam Out of this total area, about 24.13sq.km. is the Vembanad Lake.
The total population of the Panchayat is 22,232. The Kavanar River and Aymonom
village are on the north, the Thiruvarpu village on the east and to the south is
the Allappuzha-Kottayam canal.