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ENVIS Technical Report 83,   DECEMBER 2016

AGONY OF CHIKKABETTAHALLI LAKE, VIDYARANYAPURA, BRUHAT BANGALORE

T.V. Ramachandra1,2,3        Sudarshan P. Bhat1        Asulabha K.S.1        Sincy V.1       
1Energy & Wetlands Research Group, Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Karnataka, 560 012, India.
2Centre for Sustainable Technologies (astra), 3Centre for infrastructure, Sustainable Transportation and Urban Planning [CiSTUP],
E Mail: cestvr@ces.iisc.ernet.in; Tel: 91-080-22933099, 2293 3503 extn 101, 107, 113
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Recommendations

The loss of ecologically sensitive wetlands in Bangalore is due to the uncoordinated pattern of urban growth. This is due to a lack of good governance and decentralized administration evident from a lack of coordination among many para-state agencies, which has led to unsustainable use of the land and other resources. Failure to deal with water as a finite resource is leading to the unnecessary destruction of lakes and marshes that provide us with water. This failure in turn is threatening all options for the survival and security of plants, animals, humans, etc. There is an urgent need for conservation and sustainable management of wetlands, which requires;

  • Mapping the spatial extent of the lake (water bodies).
  • Identify the buffer zone (200 m) and any clearances of riparian vegetation and buffer zone vegetation (around lake) have to be prohibited.
  • Remove encroachment.
  • Penalise polluters (Polluter Pays Principle).
  • Removal of dumps and building debris from the lake bed.
  • Implementation of bioremediation method for detoxification of polluted lake.
  • Treating sewage through Integrated Wetlands  Ecosystem (Ramachandra et.al, 2014)
  • Letting only treated sewage through wetland consisting of reed beds like Typha and Cyperus sp.
  • Demarcating the lake boundary only after verification with survey record and cadastral maps.
  • Appropriate technologies for point and non-point sources of pollution and in situ measures for lake restoration shall be compatible to local ethos and site condition as well as objectives of Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration Action Plan (AERAP).
  • Improvement of infra-structural facilities such as water supply, sewerage, solid waste disposal, energy recovery systems and transportation in an integrated manner.
  • Promoting the use of indigenous building materials and appropriate construction technologies by revising building and planning codes supporting small scale production, skill up-gradation of artisans and people oriented delivery systems.
  • Recycling of existing building stock to save green open compounds and save building material.
  • Classification, zoning and allotment of land for designated uses such as agriculture, forestry, grassland, green areas, industrial activities, catchment areas and watersheds and human settlements based on assessment of their capabilities and environmental considerations.
  • Protection of land near water bodies and prevention of construction there upon.
  • Measures to ensure equitable access to and responsibility for sustainable use of land and water resources.
  • Measures for water conservation, recycling and optimal conjunctive use of surface and ground water for specific uses.
  • Stringent measures for prevention and control of pollution due to indiscriminate disposal of solid wastes, effluents and hazardous substances in land and water courses.
  • Classification, zoning and regulations for maintaining the quality of the water bodies to protect and enhance their capabilities to support the various designated uses.
  • Public needs to be better informed about the rational, goal and methods of ecosystem conservation and restoration. In addition, the need was realized for scientist and researchers with the broad training needed for aquatic ecosystem restoration, management and conservation.

Conservation and sustainable management of wetlands helps in

  • Restoring and conserving the actual source of water—the water cycle and the natural ecosystems that support it—are the basis for sustainable water management.
  • Reducing the environmental degradation that is preventing us from reaching goals of good public health, food security, and better livelihoods worldwide.
  • Improving the human quality of life that can be achieved in ways while maintaining and enhancing environmental quality.
  • Reducing greenhouse gases to avoid the dangerous effects of climate change is an integral part of protecting freshwater resources and ecosystems.

 

 

 

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