Impacts of Coal Mining on Vegetation and Water Quality

Abstract

Coal is the prime source of energy in India and plays an important role in development of the national economy. This research explains the use of remote sensing (RS), Global positioning system (GPS), and GIS technology for the detection of land use/ land cover changes. In this work LU/LC changes was detected using remotely sensed images during the period from 1992 to 2011, using Landsat-TM image. Ground truthing for the LU/LC classification accuracy assessment was done using ground truthing and Google Earth. An image analysis operation has been carried out using Erdas Imagine software. Various changes due to coal mining activities on land use and land cover has been highlighted. The results show increase in the mining area and settlements.  Surface and ground water pollution in mining area is growing concern today. The study was undertaken to assess the quality of surface and ground water. The coal mining industry has to dispose of millions of liters of water everyday. This water forms main source of various water supplies in the thickly populated coalfields. In this study water sample of major area were collected and analyzed in an attempt to reflect the impact of mining on water quality of the study area. Total 12 water samples were collected and analyzed to assess water quality and suitability for domestic, industrial, livestock and irrigation usage. Though the water body was not suffered much change but the forest area was drastically decreased.