Increase in desertification/land degradation affected areas, reduction in fertile lands and resultant migration of people and cattle, as well as poverty, are issues of global concern. Space technology can be effectively utilised not only for rapid inventory and monitoring but also for action plan preparation to combat land degradation. In this direction, Space Applications Centre (SAC), ISRO, Ahmedabad, has brought out an Atlas titled “Desertification and Land Degradation Atlas of Selected Districts of India (Based on IRS LISS III data of 2011-13 and 2003-05)”. This joint activity, involving twenty concerned partner institutes of the country, has resulted in 1:50,000 scale maps of desertification/ land degradation for 76 districts and 2 sub-basins in Leh district of Jammu & Kashmir. It is extremely useful for prioritising areas needing immediate action to combat land degradation.
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