KEY WORDS: Urban Development, Ecological Resources, Forests, Parks, Lakes, Groundwater, Water-sensitive, Bengaluru.a Ecological Impact of Urban Development: Lakes of Bengaluru Chandrakanth. K Tekton Volume 5, Issue 1, March 2018 pp. 22 - 45 ABSTRACT The United Nations projected by 2030, at least 60% of the world’s population will live in cities, with nearly 2 billion new city residents, many migrating from rural areas. The urban population in India is growing at around 2.3% per annum with the global proportion of urban population increasing from 13% (220 million in 1900) to 49% (3.2 billion, in 2005). Chandrakanth. K possesses a At the current pace of urbanization, natural resources and Bachelor’s in Architecture from ecosystems could be severed by 2030. National Institute of Technology, Tiruchirapalli and Masters in Urban With Bengaluru as a case study area, the research is based on Planning from School of Planning and Architecture, New Delhi. Presently, the hypothesis that urban development can have a substantial he is the principal architect & planner amount of threat to ecological resources. The study maps the at Radiant Build Infra Solutions, extinction of ecological resources namely lakes, forest, and parks Coimbatore and associate professor at metropolitan area level over the period of time. By various (Visiting) in two architecture colleges analyses at macro, meso and micro level, the study projects the in Coimbatore. He has worked as a issues causing it. town planning specialist in the Tamil Nadu Slum Clearance Board on various The study concludes with an understanding that urban growth government schemes. His research where environmental or ecological concerns have not been interests include, smart cities, slum a priority will have several consequences on the ecological upgradation, water sensitive urbanism resources and brings solutions for the current practice of and sustainable architecture. urban development which could have likely impact on [email protected] ecological resources and directs the future developments for the Bengaluru city. 22 TEKTON: Volume 5, Issue 1, March 2018 Introduction not only act as a source of water but also add The United Nations, in 2014 revealed that at recreational values in the urban areas. least 52% of the world’s population is living This paper attempts to identify the issues in cities. By 2050, that number will jump to related to lakes in Bengaluru with reference to 66%, with nearly 2.5 billion new city residents, its urbanisation and formulate strategies and many migrating from rural areas (UN DESA, proposals for eco-friendly urban development. 2014). Most of the growth is occurring in developing countries like China, India, and Impact of Urban Development on Africa, ecologically rich areas such as coasts and Ecological Resources islands are at risk. The city’s long-term development is beyond spatial and infrastructure planning and is Urbanization is taking place at a faster rate in associated with sustainable development. India. Population residing in urban areas of As the MoHUPA (2009) suggesting that India was 11.4 % as per 1901 Census. This count 41% of India’s population is expected to be increased to 28.53% as per 2001 Census and concentrated in urban centers by the year crossing 30.0% as per 2011 Census, standing 2030, it makes sense to rethink ‘ecology’ and at 31.16%. An increased urban population understand its urban manifestation, wherein mainly due to migration is in response to the the role that trees, green cover and water growth in urban areas. There are 53 urban bodies play in defining the city’s climate, agglomerations in India with a population pollution, cultural values and socio-economic of 1 million or more as of 2011 against 35 in opportunities can be evaluated. 2001(India, C.o., 2012). Urban development has been accompanied by Bengaluru Urban with 90.94% of its population disruption and sometimes destruction of fragile living in urban areas is the most urbanized ecosystems, including surface water bodies, district and accounts for 35.7% of the urban groundwater, forest cover and the green cover. population of the state (Census, 2011). With the depletion of Forests, parks, lakes, Such uneven urbanization will increase the flora, and fauna, many secondary problems pressures on natural resources and increase occur, they are, the likelihood of resource extraction and other • Groundwater contamination due to soak threats to the protected places like forests, pits and improper drainage system. lakes, etc. Bengaluru is blessed with a network • Decrease in groundwater recharge due to of lakes which moderate temperatures and increasing surface runoff in paved areas. affect the climate of the surrounding land. • Polluting surface water bodies by the They store water, recharge groundwater letting sewage into the lakes, ponds etc. aquifers. They provide habitat for aquatic and • Increase in temperatures due to heat semi-aquatic plants and animals. The quality islands, and inadequate tree cover to of water of any water body may be affected by counter this rise in temperature. the land use pattern of the catchment area and activities taking place in and around it. Lakes TEKTON: Volume 5, Issue 1, March 2018 23 Chandrakanth. K Figure 1: Population growth rate of Bengaluru 1901 – 2011 Figure 2: Population growth rate of Bengaluru 1901 – 2011 Source: Census of India, 1901 - 2011 Source: T.V. Ramachandra, Aithal, and Kumar, 2010 • Air circulation is also reduced due to the • Bangalore Metro Rail (cross-cutting Bangalore dense residential development and loss of City) vegetation cover. • Location of large-scale/manufacturing industries (East and North Bengaluru) Objectives of the Study • Location of IT/ITES/Biotech Industries (East 1. To study the spatial growth and development and South Bengaluru) pattern of Bengaluru city. • Development of five Integrated Townships in 2. To assess the impacts of urban development the BMR on ecological resources at the macro level • Responsive energy and power supply projects of Bengaluru Metropolitan Area (BMA), • Peripheral Ring Road (around Bengaluru) meso (Hebbal lake system) and micro level • Urban basic service delivery projects (Rachanahalli lake). proposed by the local self-government 3. To review environmental issues by critically institutions (LSGIs) in the city. analyzing various existing policies and plans. 4. To formulate strategies for Eco-friendly Population Growth urban development. Bengaluru is the fifth largest urban center in India with a population of 8.5 Million (census Factors Influencing Bengaluru’s Growth 2011). Around 14.64% of the state population Key projects influencing the population growth resides in Bengaluru within 0.64% of land and socio-economic development in the city and share. The city has witnessed 42% growth peri-urban area comprise of the following. rate in population from 2001 – 2011 which • Bangalore International Airport (North has been the highest in urban India. Figure 1 Bengaluru) shows the decadal population of Bengaluru. • Bangalore-Mysore Infrastructure Corridor (South-West Bengaluru) Spatial Growth • Information Technology (IT) Corridor (South- Bangalore is characterized by a radial system East Bengaluru) formed by the axes, which converge towards the center of the city. Figure 2 shows the 24 TEKTON: Volume 5, Issue 1, March 2018 Ecological Impact of Urban Development: Lakes of Bengaluru Figure 3: Ecological resources of Bangalore Metropolitan Area. Source: Revised Master Plan 2015, Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) Drawn by the Chandrakanth.K spatial growth of Bengaluru from 1973 to Ecological Resources in Bengaluru 2010. Urban development in the south is Metropolitan Area (BMA) driven by services sector (Electronic City and Bengaluru with its varied ecological resources Bommasandra) and the resultant boom in the like forest, parks and botanical gardens, Real Estate market. There has been a slowdown agriculture plantation land, lakes, ponds, in the West (Dasarahalli, Magadi road, and rivers, wetlands, flora and fauna and renowned Tumkur road) with the losing momentum of botanical gardens is rightly called “The Garden development in the Peenya Industrial Zone. City of India” and “The City of Lakes”. As shown Urbanization has increased in a substantial in Figure 3, forest Constitute 4% of land use manner in the Northeast and East, again due (16.89 sq.km), lakes constitute 9.25% of land to service sector (Whitefield and ITPL), and the use (36.45 sq.km) and parks constitute 7.5% of current airport being within the city. North land use (30. 24 sq.km). Lakes constitute the side of Bangalore is now beginning to see major portion and they are quantitatively and an exponential growth as the new airport is qualitatively quite important for a detailed study. located in that direction (Devanahalli). TEKTON: Volume 5, Issue 1, March 2018 25 Chandrakanth. K Figure 4: Loss of Ecological resources at various years. Drawn by Chandrakanth. K Figure 5: Transformation of lakes for various years Figure 6: Map showing the transformed lakes into other uses. Source: CGWB, 2009-10, Drawn by Chandrakanth. K 26 TEKTON: Volume 5, Issue 1, March 2018 Ecological Impact of Urban Development: Lakes of Bengaluru Figure 7: Graph showing the water table from 1988 to 2008 Source: CGWB, 2009-10, Drawn by Chandrakanth. K Analysis at Macro Level of the BMA Here, the challenge is on the degraded lakes, The loss of ecological resources over the period which is 100 sq.km. area and it can be easily of years are given in Figure 4, from which, it is modified into a built-up area. Urban ecology loss clear that the development stomped out huge has serious consequences on the microclimate ecological resources. Further analysis is done of the city and several other problems. Now mainly dealing with the lakes as it is the focus of managing the city’s ecological resources is a this study. great challenge in Bengaluru. The decrease of water bodies had its serious effect on the level of Bengaluru’s predominant water source is ground water level shift from 30ft in 1988 to 810 Cauvery river, which is about 140 km away feet in 2008 (refer Figure 7) with around more from the city.