AHMEDABAD: Two researchers from IIT-Mumbai used Isro's Landsat images to show how the increasing `urban sprawl' was eating away into the green spaces of Ahmedabad, choking its lungs and gobbling up water bodies. The findings show a future filled with dust and concrete, unless authorities move from speech to action.

Satellite images reveal that in the city spread over 464 sq km, between 2009 and 2016, built-up area increased from 33% to 53%, while areas with vegetation decreased from 33% to 27%.

After having spent crores over developing policy documents and greening drives, and even collecting carbon credits for the same, it's time for the civic body to act upon the Landsat images which warn Amdavadis of a unsustainable future. The study conducted by Minakshi Goswami and M V Khire of the Centre of Studies in Resources Engineering, IIT, Mumbai, show that of the total land in the city, 43% is under residential use, while 15% is under industries. ... The study says , "Growth of the built up area in the outer region of the city in 2011, and now, is towards west (Oganj) and southeast, which is towards Vatva." "The north side is growing because of Gandhinagar. The development along west side is due to the large number of manufacturing industries along this corridor specially Sanand Tata nano plant, and the growth in southeast is due to the location of existing industrial estates in Vatva and Odhav ," says the study .