STUDY AREA

The present communication deals with the Mysore city (figure 1), which is one of the tier II cities in Karnataka, India. Mysore being the cultural capital of India is also a hub of industrial activities and is also called the 2^nd capital of Karnataka. This city is one of the most preferred destinations for industries including IT hubs other than Bangalore due to salubrious climate and availability of natural resources (water, etc.). It is a main trading centre of silk and sandalwood. Mysore district is bounded by Mandya to the northeast, Chamrajnagar to the southeast, Kerala state to the south, Kodagu to the west, and Hassan to the north. It has an area of 6,268 km² and a population of 2,651,027 (2001 census). The  district  lies  in the  southern  Deccan  plateau,  within  the  watershed  region of Kaveri  River,  which  flows  through  the  northern  and  eastern  parts  of  the  district.  To understand the potential urbansiataion (or current sprawl), a 3 km buffer  surrounding the city has also been considered for the analysis.

Figure 1. Study Area: Mysore city and 3 km buffer