Geospatial Analysis of Land Use/Land Cover in Ri Bhoi District, Meghalaya: An Ecological Hotspot Region
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.36808/if/2025/v151i9/170621Keywords:
Land use, Land cover, Environmental sustainability, GIS, Resource management, Ri Bhoi District.Abstract
New developmental projects like widening roads, infrastructural growth, occupational change, and population growth are reflected in the Land Use/Land Cover (LULC) category. Analysing the changes in LULC aids in reducing the level of development to protect the environment. Ri Bhoi is situated on the northern slopes of the Meghalaya plateau, being one of the ecological hotspot regions of the world, has also witnessed an alteration in the LULC owing to the recent development activities; however, such development is happening slowly, so that nature is being protected. This study makes an effort to examine the changes in the LULC in Ri Bhoi district from 1999 to 2019 through satellite imagery using a sophisticated Geographic Information System (GIS) technique. The results indicate that land covered by buildings, roads and wastelands has risen marginally; likewise, agricultural land has marginally decreased between 1999 and 2019, suggesting a low pace in the development process. In Ri Bhoi district, nature remains pristine and can be preserved. Furthermore, such a micro-level study will help policymakers to build a strong foundation for the overall development of the Ri Bhoi district by identifying the various causes of small changes in LULC, thereby bringing about much-needed development.
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