Study on the feasibility of delineating mosquitogenic conditions in and around Delhi using Indian Remote Sensing Satellite data.

Abstract

A feasibility study to identify mosquitogenic conditions in six study sites in and around Delhi (Bhalaswa lake, Nazafgarh drain, Seelampur lake, Sanjay lake, Okhla barrage and Hindon barrage) using Indian Remote Sensing Satellites was carried out. The water bodies with marshy areas, vegetation and human settlements were considered as environmental variables responsible for mosquitogenic conditions. Multidate IRS 1A and B, LISS-II satellite data were collected and analysed on Vax 11/780 computers. False colour composite (FCC) images were generated and land cover assessed using supervised classification based on ground truth training sets. Ground truth validation of satellite data was done on satellite pass dates. Concurrent monitoring of larval and adult mosquito density was performed by selecting sub-sites in each study site. The results indicate that mosquitogenic conditions can be identified (with limitation of resolution, i.e. 36.5 m) using FCC images and these images can be used as base maps of study sites. Characterization of study sites based on land cover was done from the view point of mosquitogenic conditions. Spatial changes in mosquito density vis-a-vis changes in environmental variables revealed positive correlation with water bodies and vegetation in some study sites.