ENVIS Technical Report: 95,  August 2015
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DETRIMENTAL LANDUSE CHANGES IN AGARA-BELLANDUR WETLAND

   T.V. Ramachandra1,2,*      Vinay .S1  Bharath H. Aithal1

1Energy and Wetlands Research Group, Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560 012
2Centre for Sustainable Technologies, Centre for infrastructure, Sustainable Transportation and Urban Planning (CiSTUP)
*Corresponding author: cestvr@ces.iisc.ernet.in, energy@ces.iisc.ernet.in [080-22933099]

Citation: Ramachandra T V, Vinay S and Bharath H.Aithal, 2015.  Detrimental landuse changes in Agara-Belllandur wetland, ENVIS Technical Report 95, CES, IISc, Bangalore, India
CONCLUSION

Pristine Agara-Bellandur wetland ecosystem has been experiencing threat due to the large scale catchment alterations with changes in the land use land cover. The region forms a part of primary valley, which is sensitive regions as per the revised master plan 2015 (RMP 2015 of BDA). The landscape forms an integral part of the protected area (as it is in valley zone) as per the CDP 2015. This wetlands is now being converted with mixed land use i.e., Built-up with both residential and office complexes. Alterations in the wetland began in 2005 and aggravated post 2007 with KIADB (Karnataka Industrial development Board) identifying this region violating the environment norms for the construction of SEZ in an area of 63 Acres 37.5 Guntas. Now the spatial extent of the land for SEZ project has increased to  74 Acres 12.1 Guntas due to encroachment of Rajakaluves and a portion of Bellandur lake (by filling the lakebed with construction debris and excavated earth). Of 10 Acres 14.6 Guntas  about 3 Acres 30.1 Guntas is part of water spread  and lakebed of Bellandur lake. The alterations of these wetlands initiated by filling the low lying areas with excavated earth debris, followed by other construction activities. The land fillings have breached both rajakaluve and Bellandur lake. Rajakaluve have reduced from as high as 35 to about 15 in width apart from the loss of stream network connecting Agara to Bellandur lake.