Journal of Remote Sensing & GIS

Abstract

Analysis of Changes in LULC of Western Ghat by Comparing NDVI and NDWI

Panaskar S, Narwade R and Nagarajan K

1,50,000 km² of the area contains dense forest in Indian Western Ghats. Western Ghats is one of the world's ten
"hottest biodiversity hotspot" which spread over six states. There is a gradual change in land and in water bodies of
Western Ghats which is affecting the surrounding.
The research aims to compare and analyze the changes in land and in wet bodies by using Landsat series for the
year 1988-2018. The Landsat data received for 1988, 1998, 2008 and 2018 is showing numerous differences in
forest and water resources. The changes are studied by using software and by using Normalized Difference
Vegetation Index (NDVI) and Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI) and also impact of forest changes on
Western flowing rivers.
The overall per cent change in vegetation is found to be 14.19. Majority of change is observed in Tamil Nadu
state by 21.90%. For water bodies the change is observed as 3.361% overall. Maximum changes are observed in
Tamil Nadu state by 12.90%.
The changes from past and present of land can be used to predict the future changes in land and in water bodies
and the impact of the same on the surrounding. This will be the contribution to nature for the conservation.