Abstract

Tamil Nadu is the southern-most state of Indian peninsula, which is one of the leading states of India in terms of economic as well as social development. The state is blessed with varied geography and different agro-climatic zones. The western, southern and north-western part are surrounded by hilly region and rich in vegetation. Land use pattern in Tamil Nadu has undergone tremendous transformation over the past few decades due to the impact of urbanization and industrialization. Changes in the land use patterns are associated with ecological changes evidently proven by the recent climate scenario. In Tamil Nadu, the per capita availability of land is only 0.18 ha while the per capita net sown area is only 0.07 ha. An analysis of land use/land cover dynamics has attempted to explore the quantification of fallow land has been converted into agriculture land and then, how much of it converted into built-up area and development of urban infrastructures. Similarly due to the clearance of forests and trees outside the forests (legal and illegal) for agriculture, plantations, residential, highways, railways, and other infrastructure project, has made sever fragmentation on important forest landscapes in Tamil Nadu. According to Bhuvan Portal Analysis between 2005–06 and 2016–17 of a decadal change revealed that Agriculture (Kharif) - 6.26% and 5.37%; Agriculture (Rabi) - 9.93% and 12.18%; Agriculture (Double or Triple Cropping) 18.75% and 16.47%; Agriculture (Current Fallow) 20.17% 22.51%. In another analysis of one decadal change was observed Net sown area was 36% in 2004 whereas 2014 it has increased just 36.17%. The present study analysed the patterns of land use change for three decades in the Thanjavur and Ramanathapuram districts of Tamil Nadu. Among the thirteen land classes, the Zaid croplands has decreasing in the three decades for both the districts. Whereas, the built up and waste lands shows an increasing trend in all the assessed periods.