Impact of Land Use Land Cover Changes on the Environment and Society

Present research provides an overview of land use land cover changes over district Baramulla of Kashmir using remote sensing and geographic information system. The analysis highlights the study area has gone drastic land use land cover change. The increase of (16%) in population has impacted by decreasing (27%) dense forest and (36%) water body from 1979 to 2018. The increase in built up by increase in the population shifted area of agriculture to horticulture. Significant reduction in water body and dense forest may result in significant decrease in evapotranspiration and reduction in precipitation. The decrease in precipitation may result to increase in regional temperature. This increase in temperature may result in flooding and droughts. All these changes in the land use land cover have dire consequences on the ecosystem over the research area. The increase in the horticulture and decrease in the agriculture, water body and dense forest has significant impact on the society and environment. We suggest proper monitoring and management of land use land cover over the study area for sustainable development to mitigate the impact of any disaster in life and environment.