ENVIS Technical Report: 85 January 2015
http://www.iisc.ernet.in/
Vanishing Lakes Interconnectivity & Violations in Valley Zone: Lack of Co-ordination among Para-State Agencies
 http://wgbis.ces.iisc.ernet.in/energy/
    T.V. Ramachandra*         Bharath H Aithal         Vinay S         Bharath Setturu         Asulabha K. S.         Sincy V.         Sudarshan P.Bhat    
Energy and Wetlands Research Group, Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore – 560012, India.
*Corresponding author: cestvr@ces.iisc.ernet.in
Executive Summary

Kaikondrahalli and Kasavanahalli lakes are in the series of Varthur Lake and falls in Koramangala and Challaghatta valley of Urban Bangalore. Kaikondrahalli Lake is situated under the survey number 8 with an area of 27.09 Ha and was restored in 2009 with financial spending of Rs. 2.70 crores. Kasavanahalli comprises an area of 8.91 Ha under survey number 70 and restoration started in 2013 with 3.75 crores set aside. The major works included fencing, de-silting, embankment, pitching, cobble, toilets, immersion tank, grill and plantation. The fencing was done by Karnataka Forest department (KFD) under two phases. These lakes were restored by the initiation of citizens including original inhabitants of villages around the lake and resident welfare associations have worked with the BBMP. These lakes support 37 species of birds and good population of fishes. The lakes has good green cover which are acting as a nesting grounds for migratory birds such as Painted storks (Mycteria leucocephala) etc., and in the year 2009-10 more than 1000 trees were planted in association with MAPSAS (Mahadevapura Parisara Samrakshane Mattu Abhivrudhi Samiti). The fresh sewage is entering in the south side of the Kasavanahalli lake and a drainage channel is being destroyed due to construction activities that are taking place on the lake bed. Rampant urbanisation in the catchment area has disturbing the life forms in the lakes. Earlier these lakes were acted as a water source for drinking, ritual place, agriculture, fishing, washing cattle and cloths for villagers of Kasavanahalli and Kaikondrahalli. 

Unplanned rapid urbanisation during post 2000 in Bangalore witnessed large scale conversion of watershed area of the lake to residential and commercial layouts. This has altered the hydrological regime and enhanced the silt movement in the catchment. Declining vegetation cover has lowered water yield in the catchment, affecting the groundwater recharge. Alterations in ecological integrity is evident from reduced water yield, flash floods, contaminated water, obnoxious odour, copious growth of invasive floating macrophytes,  disappearance of native fish species, breeding ground for mosquito and other disease vectors,  etc. A major portion of untreated city sewage (500+ million liters per day) is let into the lake, beyond the neutralizing ability of the lake, which has hampered the ecological functioning of the lake.

Significance of wetlands: Wetlands are lands transitional between terrestrial and aquatic eco-systems where the water table is usually at or near the surface or the land is covered by shallow water.  Wetlands constitute vital components of the regional hydrological cycle. They are highly productive, support exceptionally large biological diversity, and provide a wide range of ecosystem services such as food, fibre, waste assimilation, water purification, flood mitigation, erosion control, groundwater recharge, microclimate regulation,  enhance the aesthetics of the landscape, and support many significant recreational, social and cultural activities, aside from being a part of our cultural heritage. Wetlands function as kidneys of landscape due to remediation of contaminants (which include nutrients, heavy metals, etc.). These fragile ecosystems are vulnerable to even small changes in their biotic and abiotic factors. In recent years, there has been concern over the continuous degradation of wetlands due to unplanned developmental activities (Ramachandra, 2002).  Most urban wetlands are seriouslythreatened by conversion to non-wetland purposes, encroachment of drainage through landfilling, pollution (discharge of domestic and industrial effluents, disposal of solid wastes), hydrological alterations (water withdrawal and inflow changes), and over-exploitation of their natural resources. This results in loss of biodiversity and disruption in goods and services provided by wetlands (Ramachandra, 2009).

Policy and legislative measures for Wetlands conservation in India are:

  • The Indian Forest Act - 1927
  • Forest (Conservation Act) - 1980
  • Wildlife (Protection) Act - 1972
  • Water (Prevention and Control of Pol1ution)Act - 1974
  • Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act - 1977
  • Environmental (Protection) Act - 1986
  • Wildlife (Protection) Amendment Act - 1991
  • National Conservation Strategy and Policy Statement on Environment and I Development - 1992
  • National Policy And Macro level Action Strategy on Biodiversity-1999
  • Biological Diversity Act, 2002, areas rich in biodiversity, cultural importance, etc.
  • Wetlands (Conservation and Management) rules 2010, Government of India

Construction activities in the valley zone of  Kaikondanahalli- Kasavanahalli lake series need to be stopped immediately and all wetlands are  to be restored considering

Activities

Norms

Construction activities in the valley zone

This is contrary to sustainable development as the natural resources (lake, wetlands) get affected due to this decision. Eventually this kills the lake. 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

Location of high rise buildings in flood prone zone of the lake and in wetland - 30 m buffer zone of the water body is to be no development zone

In case of water bodies a 30.0 m buffer of ‘no development zone’ is to be maintained
around the lake (as per revenue records)

  • As per BDA, RMP 2015
  • section 17 of KTCP Act, 1961 and sec 32 of BDA Act, 1976
  • Wetlands (Conservation and Management) rules 2010, Government of India

Alterations in topography

Adjacent localities would be vulnerable to floods. This would lead to loss of property and human life with frequent flood in the region.

Loss of interconnectivity among lakes: Removal of rajakaluve (storm water drain)  and gradual encroachment of rajakaluve as well as  lake bed

Removal of lake connectivity enhances the episodes of flooding and associated disasters
The Hon’ble Supreme Court in Civil appeal number 1132/2011 at SLP (C) 3109/2011 on January 28,2011 has ex-pressed concern regarding encroachment of common property resources, more particularly lakes 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.

Encroachment/ Narrowing storm water drains

Removal of raja kaluve would affect inter connectivity and leads to flooding in the region.

Loss of Inter connectivity

Would affect ground water in the region, evident from ground water table depletion from 100 m to 300-400 m already with the construction activities and exploitation of ground water in the region.

Would affect the lakes in the downstream, as there would be cascaded lake water overflows from one lake to other and recharges the ground water.

Would result in the loss of wetlands, decreases in catchment yield, loss of water storage capacity and shrinkage in the wetland area.

Increase in deforestation in catchment area 

Removing vegetation in the catchment area increases soil erosion and which in turn increases siltation and decreases transpiration.

Ongoing construction activities violates Hon’ble High Court of Karnataka’s verdict to protect, conserve, rehabilitate and wisely use lakes and their watersheds in Bangalore all lakes in Karnataka and their canal networks (about 38,000)

High Court of Karnataka (WP No. 817/2008)

  • Protects 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 set up district lake protection            committees

Dumping of debris and filling of wetlands

This is done mainly to encroach lakes gradually, which would affect sustainability of ecosystem.

Construction of basement with 2-3 floors

Would affect the inter connectivity among aquifers. This will aggravate the ground water crisis in the region.

Increased vehicle density

Increases traffic bottleneck in the region and air  pollution (with the increase in density of vehicles)

Increase in vehicular traffic and enhanced pollutants

Traffic congestion (due to additional vehicle movement). The density of traffic would increase, the road’s current level of service (LOS) is under category C. The equivalent ratio of V/C (with construction) to the LOS is D and F respectively for the connecting road and the Sarjapur road, indicating very poor traffic conditions, creating bottle necks.  The increase in vehicles  would worsen the  traffic condition. enhanced levels of vehicular pollutants; likely increase in respiratory diseases;

Loss of buffer zone

The loss of shoreline along the lakebed results in the habitat destruction for most of the shoreline birds that wade in this region. Some of the shoreline  wading  birds  like  the  Stilts,  Sandpipers;  etc  will  be  devoid  of  their habitat forcing them to move out such disturbed habitats.

As per Wetland regulatory act of GOI (Wetland conservation and Management rules 2010, Government of India) 200 m from wetland area is prohibited for any construction activities. Since wetlands (the region where inflow to the lake happens through plank beds) acts as a kidney, which helps in treating water. Construction, filling activities will affect the functional abilities of lake (treatment of water). Violation of the rules specified, mismanagement of lakes by individuals, community are liable for punishment.

As per BDA (Bangalore Development Authority) and CDP (City Development Plan) norm 30m from the lake boundary is a buffer zone. Creating buffer zones limiting anthropogenic activities around the demarcated corridor of the wetland could revive its natural functioning. Removal of riparian vegetation and allowing construction activity will affect sustainability of lake.

Direct sustained inflow of untreated sewage to lakes

Violation of Water (Prevention and Control of Pol1ution)Act – 1974 & 1977

  • Need to penalise para-state agency BWSSB for contaminating lake (and subsequent contamination of groundwater due to the sustained inflow of untreated sewage to these lakes. Need to implement “Polluter pays” principle.

Lack of clean air, water and environment to our children

Violates the norms of ‘Right to water’ and right to ‘healthy environment’  guaranteed under Article 21of the Indian constitution. This  has  been protected as a fundamental human right  by the Indian Supreme Court as part of  the Right to Life  The right to  life has been expanded significantly over the last three decades to include the right to  health and the right to a clean environment which can include the right to clean  drinking water.

Slum colony on the lake bed and in the buffer zone

Unauthorized occupation by illegal immigrants (some occupants appeared to be non-Indians.
Associated social crimes in the locality.

  • Unauthorsied occupation in the buffer zone contrary to norms of BDA
  • Illegal immigrants pose serious security threat to the region as well as to our country.

Government need to act immediately, otherwise Bangalore will face similar situation as other parts of the country.

Water shortage

Bangalore is already experiencing severe water shortages as water yield in rivers (Cauvery, etc.) has come down due to large scale land cover changes. Neither Cauvery, T G Halli nor groundwater can sustain Bangalore’s growing water demand.

BWSSB has not given  NOC and has indicated inability to supply such huge quantity of water on regular basis.

Pathetic water scenario and insufficient drinking water in Bangalore

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 Hessarghatta has dried, Tippegondahanally 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.

Ecological and Environmental Implications:

  • Land use changes: Conversion of green cover / vegetation cover removal in the watershed  especially in the valley regions of the lake to paved surfaces would alter the hydrological regime leading to flash floods, lowered groundwater table, less water in the lake during lean seasons.
  • Loss of Drainage Network: Removal of drain (Rajakaluve) and reducing the width of the drain would flood the surrounding residential as  the interconnectivities among lakes are lost and there are no mechanisms for the excessive storm water to drain and thus the water stagnates flooding in the surroundings.
  • Alteration in landscape topography: This activity alters the integrity of the region affecting the lake catchment. This would also have serious implications on the storm water flow in the catchment. The dumping of construction waste along the lakebed  and lake has altered the natural topography thus rendering the storm water runoff to take a new course that might get into the existing residential areas. Such alteration of topography would not be geologically stable apart from causing soil erosion and lead to siltation in the lake.
  • Loss of Shoreline: The loss of shoreline along the lakebed results in the habitat destruction for most of the shoreline birds that wade in this region. Some of the shoreline wading birds like the Stilts, Sandpipers; etc will be devoid of their habitat forcing them to move out such disturbed habitats. It was also apparent from the field investigations that with the illogical land filling and dumping taking place in the Kasavanahalli lakebed, the shoreline are gobbled up by these activities.
  • Loss of livelihood: Local people are dependent on the wetlands for fodder, fish etc. estimate shows that wetlands provide goods and services worth Rs 10500 per hectare per day (Ramachandra et al., 2005).

Decision makers need to learn from the similar historical blunder of plundering ecosystems as in the case of Black Swan event (http://blackswanevents.org/?page_id=26) of evacuating half of the city in 10 years due to water scarcity, contaminated water, etc. or abandoning of Fatehpur Sikhri and fading out of Adil Shahi’s Bijapur, or ecological disaster at Easter Island or Vijayanagara empire.

It is the responsibility of all Bangalore citizens (to ensure intergenerational equity, sustenance of natural resources and to prevent human-made disasters such as floods, etc.) to stall the irrational conversion of land in the name of development  and restrict the land encroachers with decision makers taking the system (ecosystem including humans) for granted as in the case of these wetlands large scale builders.