~ 560 ~ Volume: 2, Issue: 7, 560-566 July 2015 www.allsubjectjournal.com e-ISSN: 2349-4182 p-ISSN: 2349-5979 Impact Factor: 3.762 Priyanka Singh (Research Scholar), Department Of Energy and Environmental Sciences Chaudhary Devi Lal University, Sirsa-125055, Haryana. (INDIA) Rani Devi Assistant Professor, Department of Energy and Environmental Sciences Chaudhary Devi Lal University, Sirsa-125055, Haryana. (INDIA) Hooda R.S. Chief Scientist (HARSAC- CCS, HAU-Campus) 125004. Correspondence: Priyanka Singh (Research Scholar), Department Of Energy and Environmental Sciences Chaudhary Devi Lal University, Sirsa-125055, Haryana. (INDIA) Impact of soil desurfacing on the physico-chemical properties of the soil of the study area in Haryana Priyanka Singh, Rani Devi, Hooda R.S. Abstract The study was carried out to assess the impact of soil desurfacing on some important physical and chemical properties of soil. Soil physic-chemical properties like texture, bulk density, hydraulic conductivity, organic carbon, phosphorus, and potassium content invariably deteriorated significantly in desurfaced soil of the study area. Bulk density increased by 14.37 % (from 1.43-1.67 Mgm -3 ) and hydraulic conductivity decreased by 51.43 % (from 0.70-0.34 cmh -1 ) affecting water transmission adversely in desurfaced soil as compared to normal soil. Organic carbon stock decreased by 47.43 % (from 8.58-4.51 Mgha -1 ), Phosphorus (P) content decreased by 33.08 % (10.46-7.0 kgha -1 ) and Potassium (K) content decreased by 44.76 % ( from 315.7-174.4 kgha -1 ) in desurfaced soils as compared to normal soil of study area. The evaluation and delineation of desurfaced soil in the study area was done with the help of fusion of geographical information system (GIS) and remote sensing technique, integrating with field observations and laboratory analysis data. Study area falling in national capital region (NCR) is prone to soil desurfacing due to brick kiln activities because of ongoing infrastructural development in the study area. Keywords: Soil desurfacing, Physic-chemical properties, Remote sensing, GIS, NCR. 1. Introduction Land degradation, defined as the loss or the reduction of the potential utility or productivity of the land, Lal, (1994) [8] , is a major environmental problem in arid and semi-arid areas. The environmental global problem of land degradation, which seriously harms human existence and development, includes soil erosion, desertification, salinization or alkalization, soil desurfacing, soil fertility depletion and productivity losses, soil structure degradation and pollution caused by wind, water and other factors like human interventions. When human started the fight for survival and existence and took step forward that was the experience since the beginning of agricultural practices when the first permanent settlements were built along the riverbanks of Asia and Africa, Felipe, et al., (2006) [4] . Damage caused by desurfacing, may be determined by soil profile constraints, nature of soil and its position in the landscape orientation. Use of soil desurfacing to simulate soil erosion in several earlier studies and considerable information has been generated abroad on desurfaced soil, Salder, (1984) [13] , Gollany, et al., (1992) [6] . Although desurfacing is similar to soil erosion when topsoil is lost naturally but in both situations soil loss is eminent. In desurfacing, soil is lost abruptly, whereas, erosion is a gradual process causing loss of soil in due course of time. Desurfacing exhibits immediate adverse impacts on the soil health and productivity, which is a matter of serious concern and needs immediate attention, particularly, for an agrarian state like Haryana (India), where agriculture is the main livelihood of more than 60 % of the population. In addition to harm to human health, WHO, (2000) [18] , other environmental costs of desurfacing due to brick kilns are reduction in soil fertility, drying the groundwater sources, environmental pollution, and increases atmospheric carbon load. Any damage to the fertile land may lead to devastating consequences in terms of decreased food grain production and economic imbalances at national level. The Haryana state, which has a total geographical area of 44212 Sq.km, has a wasteland of 2347.05 Sq.km (ISRO, department of space, Atlas of India, 2006). Conversion of fertile land into wasteland by way of desurfacing is taking place in national capital region (NCR) at a faster pace than expected due to increasing demand for construction material for the accomplishment of various housing and other construction projects. The construction and building activities being unavoidable in the sense that lot of precious fertile agriculture land is converted into wasteland due to desurfacing of soil by brick kiln industries. Restoration and methods of amelioration of desurfaced soil are of serious concern under such circumstances to save further damage to soil health, productivity, and fertility of soil. To evaluate actual damage to the soil health, it is important to understand productivity aspect carefully. Soil productivity is International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research and Development