www.tjprc.org editor@tjprc.org. COMPARATIVE DETECTION OF LAND USE AND LAND COVER CHANGE IN LUDHIANA DISTRICT, PUNJAB, INDIA: USING REMOTE SENSING AND GIS TOOLS SHAKHA SHARDA 1 , MADHURI RISHI 2 , KARANJOT KAUR BRAR 3 & GURMEET KAUR 4 1,2 Department of Environment Studies, Punjab University, Chandigarh, India 3,4 Department of Geology, Punjab University, Chandigarh, India ABSTRACT Studies on land use aspects of ecosystem play an important role in identifying major problems and to take suitable action to maintain “Ecological equilibrium” in the region. The main objective of this study is to provide a baseline status of the study area so that present land use pattern and temporal changes occurred, on the surroundings can be evaluated. Comparative land use pattern and land cover classes of Ludhiana district, Punjab, India for the years 1991, 2003 and 2014 were studied which indicated that the area under all land use and land cover classes has changed in the due course of time using Remote Sensing and GIS tools. The LANDSAT imageries of three years were studied with a purpose to know the status of land use and land cover changes in the study area. Land use and land cover classes along with the changes under different categories were identified from the satellite imageries. It was found that green cover and agricultural land were decreasing at an alarming rate and land was turning to barren land. KEYWORDS: Ecological Equilibrium, Land Use, Land Cover, Natural Vegetation, Remote Sensing and GIS Received: Oct 01; Accepted: Oct 17; Published: Oct 22; Paper Id: IJEEFUSDEC20151 INTRODUCTION The land cover reflects the biophysical state of the earth’s surface and immediate subsurface, thus including the soil material, vegetation, and water (Prakasam, 2010). It is the physical and biological material found on the earth’s surface weather it is natural or manmade, (Environmental Literacy Council, 2008). Land us is generally relates to the human activities associated with the specific piece of land and land cover is the physical material at the surface of the earth. (Lilles and Kiefer, 2008). Land carries an ecosystem which is under the application of human control, in a fairly systematic manner, in order to derive benefits from it. Land Use and Land Cover (LULC) mark a significant impact on the environment of the area (Jerzy, 1983). The conversion of agricultural land to non-agricultural uses is almost foreseeable and irreversible. Campbell (1987) defined the land cover as the vegetation (natural or planted) and human constructions that is found on the earth’s surface. Land change puts a significant impact of the environment of the any area (Kostrowicki, 1983). So, wide-ranging information on the spatial distribution of land use pattern and their change is prerequisite for planning, utilization and management of the land resources. Such information, therefore, permits a better understanding of the land utilization aspects such as cropping pattern, grazing lands, forest land, waste lands, built up land surface water bodies, settlements and communication network, which are vital for overall developmental planning (Brar, 2013). Original Article International Journal of Environment, Ecology, Family and Urban Studies (IJEEFUS) ISSN(P): 2250-0065; ISSN(E): 2321-0109 Vol. 5, Issue 6, Dec 2015, 1-8 © TJPRC Pvt. Ltd.