|
KORAMANGALA FLOODS: CAUSES |
Mismanagement of Landscape: Abuse of Bellandur-Agara wetlands, Narrowing and Concretising RajaKaluve and encroachment of storm water drains, Dumping of solid waste & building debris, Apathy of Civic Agencies |
T.V. Ramachandra Vinay S Bharath H. Aithal |
|
Floods in an urbanised landscape refer to the partial or complete inundation from the rapid accumulation or run-off resulting in the damage to property and loss of biotic elements (including humans). Urban flooding is a consequence of increased impermeable catchments resulting in higher catchment yield in a shorter duration and flood peaks sometimes reach up to three times. Thus, flooding occurs quickly due to faster flow times (in a matter of minutes). Causal factors include combinations of loss of pervious area in urbanising landscapes, inadequate drainage systems, blockade due to indiscriminate disposal of solid waste and building debris, encroachment of storm water drains, loss of inter connectivity among lakes, housing in floodplains and natural drainage and loss of natural flood-storages sites. Flood mitigation in urban landscape entails integrated ecological approaches combining the watershed land-use planning with the regional development planning. This includes engineering measures and flood preparedness with the understanding of ecological and hydrological functions of the landscape.
Bangalore is experiencing unprecedented urbanisation and sprawl in recent times due to concentrated developmental activities with impetus on industrialisation for the economic development of the region. This concentrated growth has resulted in the increase in population and consequent pressure on infrastructure, natural resources and ultimately giving rise to a plethora of serious challenges such as climate change, enhanced green-house gases emissions, lack of appropriate infrastructure, traffic congestion, and lack of basic amenities (electricity, water, and sanitation) in many localities, etc. This study shows that there has been a growth of 1028% in urban areas of Greater Bangalore across 45 years (1973 to 2017). Urban heat island phenomenon is evident from large number of localities with higher local temperatures. The study unravels the pattern of growth in Greater Bangalore and its implication on local climate (an increase of ~2 to 2.5 ºC during the last decade) and also on the natural resources (88% decline in vegetation cover and 79% decline in water bodies), necessitating appropriate strategies for the sustainable management.
Frequent flooding (since 2000, even during normal rainfall) in Bangalore is a consequence of the increase in impervious area with the high-density urban development in the catchment and loss of wetlands and vegetation. This is coupled with narrowing and concretising storm water drains, encroachment of drains, removal of drains, lack of appropriate drainage maintenance works with the changes in enhanced run-offs, the encroachment and filling in the floodplain on the waterways, obstruction by the sewer pipes and manholes and relevant structures, deposits of building materials and solid wastes with subsequent blockage of the system and also flow restrictions from under capacity road crossings (bridge and culverts). The lack of planning and enforcement has resulted in significant narrowing of the waterways and filling in of the floodplain by illegal developments. Causal factors and remedial measures to mitigate impacts of flooding are:
Reasons
|
|
Solutions: Ecological Management of Storm Water Drains and Wetlands to Mitigate Frequent Flooding in Bangalore |
|
|
|
Activities around lakes |
Norms to protect and conserve Wetlands |
Encroachment of lake bed and loss of interconnectivity among |
The Hon’ble Supreme Court in Civil appeal number 1132/2011 at SLP (C) 3109/2011 on January 28,2011 has expressed concern regarding encroachment of common property resources, more particularly lakes (and raja kaluves) and it has directed the state governments for removal of encroachments on all community lands. |
Buildings in the buffer zone of lakes |
In case of water bodies, 75.0 m buffer of ‘no development zone’ (as per recent National Green Tribunal direction) is to be maintained around the lake (buffer region to be as per revenue records)
|
Construction activities in the valley zone (SEZ by Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board (KIADB)) in the valley zone |
This is contrary to sustainable development as the natural resources (lake, wetlands) get affected, eventually leading to the degradation/extinction of lakes. This reflects the ignorance of the administrative machinery on the importance of ecosystems and the need to protect valley zones considering ecological function and these regions are ‘NO DEVELOPMENT ZONES’ as per CDP 2005, 2015 |
Alterations in topography |
Flooding of regions would lead to loss of property and human life and, spread of diseases. |
Increase in deforestation in catchment area |
Removing vegetation in the catchment area increases soil erosion and which in turn increases siltation and decreases transpiration |
Documentation of biodiversity |
|
Implementation of sanitation facilities |
|
Violation of regulatory and prohibitory activities as per Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2016 and 2010; |
Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) Notification, 2009.
Prohibited activity
|
Damage of fencing, solid waste dumping and encroachment problems in Varthur lake series
|
High Court of Karnataka (WP No. 817/2008) had passed an order which include:
|
Polluter Pays principle |
National Environment Policy, 2006
|
Prevention of pollution of lake |
National Water Policy, 2002 |
Discharge of untreated sewage into lakes |
The Environment (Protection) Act, 1986
|
The water pollution, prevention and its control measures were not looked upon |
Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974
The Pollution Control Boards performs the following functions :
|
Pathetic water scenario and insufficient drinking water in Bangalore |
The depletion of ground water and drying up off lakes has affected the water availability to meet the current population. At the 4% population growth rate of Bangalore over the past 50 years, the current population of Bangalore is 8.5 million (2011). Water supply from Hesaraghatta has dried, Thippagondanahalli is drying up, the only reliable water supply to Bangalore is from Cauvery with a gross of 1,410 million liters a day (MLD). There is no way of increasing the drawal from Cauvery as the allocation by the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal for the entire urban and rural population in Cauvery Basin in Karnataka is only 8.75 TMC ft (one thousand million cubic – TMC ft equals 78 MLD), Bangalore city is already drawing more water-1,400 MLD equals 18 TMC—than the allocation for the entire rural and urban population in Cauvery basin |