Soil survey to support land use/land cover planning in BPS and BPM region in Gangajalghati block, West Bengal, India

To secure food and other associated need for growing population, the only way is to increase agricultural production and to utilize the land with respect to its potentiality in a sustainable way. In the present study an attempt has been made to evaluate sustainable land use/land cover planning in Buried Pediment Shallow (BPS) and Buried Pediment Medium (BPM) region in Gangajalghati block, Bankura district, India using remote sensing and GIS techniques. BPS consists of weathered and unconsolidated materials with thin soil cover (0-5 m) mainly sand mixed with silt and clay. BPM consists of gently sloping dissected topography with shallow to deep soil profile (5-20 m) which are characterised by severely eroded, coarse textured, stoniness and acidic soils. Ruggedness of the topography, scarcity of water, soil acidity (pH 5-6) and soil erosion are the key problems in this area, which hampers the productivity of the land. Hence these soils have very low moisture holding capacity and very low nutrient status. To overcome these problems, different thematic maps are taken into consideration for recommendation of land use/land cover planning in this area. This study will facilitate enhancement of agricultural productivity in a sustainable manner and restoration of ecological balance between degraded and rain fed ecosystems.