Remote Sensing Analysis of Land Use and Land Cover in Nariangarh Tehsil, Ambala District, Haryana: A 2018 Study

Abstract

This study aimed to decipher the Land Use and Land Cover (LULC) patterns in Naraingarh Tehsil, Ambala District, Haryana, utilizing satellite imagery from 2018. Given the pivotal role of LULC in understanding ecological, socio-economic, and environmental dynamics, accurate data extraction is crucial. Historically reliant on governmental revenue documents and topographical maps, the modern era has embraced remote sensing and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) for comprehensive LULC analyses. In this context, Naraingarh, an administrative tehsil of Ambala, was chosen for its intricate socio-economic and geographical dosser. Using Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager (OLI) satellite imagery, preprocessing measures such as radiometric calibration, atmospheric correction, and spatial subsetting were executed. A supervised classification approach using the Maximum Likelihood Algorithm (MLA) enabled demarcation into distinct LULC categories. Analysis via the QGIS software revealed that the majority of the tehsil's landscape (71.1%) is dominated by croplands, followed by bare lands (13.4%), built-up areas (12.8%), vegetation (2.5%), and water bodies (0.1%). The results accentuate Naraingarh's agrarian character and the vital interplay of urban-rural dynamics, vegetation zones, and potential ecological restoration areas. The study underscores the importance of sustainable land management strategies to ensure harmonious development in conjunction with ecological conservation.