Reasons

• Loss of interconnectivity among lakes due to encroachment of drains, removal of drains or dumping of solid wastes or construction and demolition (C & D) wastes
• Encroachment of flood plains and wetlands (construction in valley zones, flood plains and lake bed) and de-notifying wetlands)
• Narrowing and concretising storm water drains impairing hydrological functions of the natural drains
• Loss of pervious areas - reduction of open spaces, wetlands and vegetation cover
• Bangalore: Increased paved surfaces in the city (78% paved surface and likely to be 94% by 2020) due to unplanned irresponsible urbanisation by senseless decision makers.

Solutions: Ecological Management of Storm Water Drains and Wetlands to Mitigate Frequent Flooding in Bangalore

• Reestablish interconnectivity among lakes by removing all blockades (encroachments, solid waste dumping)
• Maintain the integrity of drains (as per cadastral maps) and reestablish connectivity through drains
• Protect Valley zones and Buffer regions of wetlands: protect valley zones considering ecological function and these regions are ‘NO DEVELOPMENT ZONES’ as per CDP 2005, 2015
• Stop narrowing and concretising natural drains
• Vegetation in the drain takes the load during peak monsoon, there is no need to concretise the channel.
• Vegetation allows groundwater recharge while treating the water (bioremediation);
• Drains with vegetation without any bottlenecks (hindrances) would be the best option to mitigate floods.
• Narrowing channel and concretizing would only increase the quantum of water and velocity, which would be disastrous.
• Objective should be towards mitigation of floods and not to generate high overland flows (with increased quantum and flow velocity)
• Experts should think sensibly with holistic knowledge (considering all subject knowledge) than fragmented narrow sectorial knowledge. Advice by pseudo experts would be detrimental as the society would be deprived of ground water, frequent floods and unnecessary livelihood threats.
• Stop further choking of Koramangala
• Shift  the proposed SEZ (in Bellandur-Agara wetlands) to other location in Karnataka,
• Stop further industriaisation and commercial establishments in the region.
• Protect open spaces – lakes, parks, etc.
• Stop further growth of dying city – with water and oxygen scarcity
• BWSSB should stop issuing senselessly NOC (no objection certificate) to major building projects as there is not sufficient water in the city.
• Environment clearance as per the norms of Environment Protection Act (2016), Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2016, SWM 2016, C & D Wastes, 2016,   Air act 1981, Water (prevention of Pollution) Act, 1974.

Activities around lakes

Norms to protect and conserve Wetlands

Encroachment of lake bed and loss of interconnectivity among
lakes

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.
Eviction of encroachment: Need to be evicted as per Karnataka Public Premises (eviction of unauthorised occupants) 1974 and the Karnataka Land Revenue Act, 1964

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)

• As per BDA, RMP 2015 (Regional Master Plan, 2015)
• Section 17 of KTCP (Karnataka Town and Country Planning) Act, 1961 and sec 32 of BDA Act, 1976
• Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules 2010, Government of India; Wetlands Regulatory Framework, 2008.

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

• The biodiversity of every water body should form part of the School, College, People’s Biodiversity Registers (SBR, CBR, PBR).
• The local Biodiversity Management Committees (BMC) should be given necessary financial support and scientific assistance in documentation of diversity.
• The presence of endemic, rare, endangered or threatened species and economically important ones should be highlighted
• A locally implementable conservation plan has to be prepared for such species

Implementation of sanitation facilities

• The lakes are polluted with sewage, coliform bacteria and various other pathogens
• Preserving the purity of waters and safeguarding the biodiversity and productivity, dumping of waste has to be prohibited
• All the settlements alongside the water body should be provided with sanitation facilities so as not to impinge in anyway the pristine quality of water

Violation of regulatory and prohibitory activities as per Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2016 and 2010;
Regulatory wetland framework, 2008

Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) Notification, 2009.
Wetlands (Conservation and Management) rules 2010, Government of India; Regulatory wetland framework, 2008
Regulated activity

• Withdrawal of water/impoundment/diversion/interruption of sources
• Harvesting (including grazing) of living/non-living resources (may be permitted to the level that the basic nature and character of the biotic community is not adversely affected)
• Treated effluent discharges – industrial/ domestic/agro-chemical.
• Plying of motorized boats
• Dredging (need for dredging may be considered, on merit on case to case basis, only in cases of wetlands impacted by siltation)
• Constructions of permanent nature within 50 m of periphery except boat jetties
• Activity that interferes with the normal run-off and related ecological processes – up to 200 m

Prohibited activity

• Conversion of wetland to non-wetland use
• Reclamation of wetlands
• Solid waste dumping and discharge of untreated effluents

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:

• Protecting lakes across Karnataka,
• Prohibits dumping of garbage and sewage in Lakes
• Lake area to be surveyed and fenced and declare a no development zone around lakes
• Encroachments to be removed
• Forest department to plant trees in consultation with experts in lake surroundings and in the watershed region
• Member Secretary of state legal services authority to monitor implementation of the above in coordination with Revenue and Forest Departments
• Also setting up district lake protection committees

Polluter Pays principle

National Environment Policy, 2006
The principal objectives of NEP includes :

• Protection and conservation of critical ecological systems and resources, and invaluable natural and man-made heritage
• Ensuring judicious use of environmental resources to meet the needs and aspirations of the present and future generations
• It emphasizes the “Polluter Pays” principle, which states the polluter should, in principle, bear the cost of pollution, with due regard to the public interest

Prevention of pollution of lake

National Water Policy, 2002
Water is a scarce and precious national resource and requires conservation and management.
Watershed management through extensive soil conservation, catchment-area treatment, preservation of forests and increasing the forest cover and the construction of check-dams should be promoted.
The water resources should be conserved by retention practices such as rain water harvesting and prevention of pollution.

Discharge of untreated sewage into lakes

The Environment (Protection) Act, 1986

• Lays down standards for the quality of environment in its various aspects
• Laying down standards for discharge of environmental pollutants from various sources and no persons shall discharge any pollutant in excess of such standards
• Restriction of areas in which industries, operations or processes shall not be carried out or carried out subject to certain safeguards

The water pollution, prevention and its control measures were not looked upon

Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974

• It is based on the “Polluter pays” principle.

The Pollution Control Boards performs the following functions :

• Advice the government on any matter concerning the prevention and control of water pollution.
• Encourage, conduct and participate in investigations and research relating to problems of water pollution and prevention, control or abatement of water pollution.
• Inspects sewage and effluents as well as the efficiency of the sewage treatment plants.
• Lay down or modifiy existing effluent standards for the sewage.
• Lay down standards of treatment of effluent and sewage to be discharged into any particular stream.
• Notify certain industries to stop, restrict or modify their procedures if the present procedure is deteriorating the water quality of streams.

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