The stark reasons why Bengaluru is sinking

Source: The post is based on an article “The stark reasons why Bengaluru is sinking” published in The Hindu on 10^th September 2022.

Syllabus: GS 1 – Urbanization

News:  This article discusses about the problems that has led to waterlogging in Bengaluru and steps that needs to be taken to tackle this.

Many social media posts are showing videos of abandoned vehicles floating or underwater, tractors and their trailers laden with software professionals commuting to work, and flooded layouts that are home to luxury villas.

What are the reasons behind the flooding of Bengaluru?

The Bengaluru’s expansion swallowed nearby villages and panchayats were disbanded to create six city municipal corporations. These municipal corporations later merged into Bhruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP).

The transition destroyed land records and nearby lakes and catchment areas were transformed into private lands. Builders soon transformed these areas into apartments, shopping malls and information-technology parks.

Bengaluru also lacks in institutional capacity to handle the problems of the future.

There is lack of coordination among the institutions like local governments, BBMP, panchayats, Bangalore Development Authority (BDA), Bangalore Metropolitan Region Development Authority (BMRDA), etc.

What can be done further to improve the present condition?

Although, Bengaluru has achieved success in rainwater harvesting, solar water heating, segregation of garbage and the stoppage of littering still there is more to be done. Reforms are needed to withstand climate change and build a better environment.

The reforms required are –

First, multiple institutions should be ended.

Multiple institutions do not improve execution but they provide troubles and complicate governance.

Therefore, outdated institutions should be replaced by a constitutionally compliant institution with local governments at the top. Therefore, 11 independent planning authorities must be merged and subordinated to the Metropolitan Planning Committee.

This constitutionally mandated institution will enable all stakeholders from largest land owners (defence, railways) to the mahanagara palika and panchayats within the metropolitan area to participate.

Second, community efforts are needed. There is a need to strengthen climate resilience that goes past flood control. Thus, the following efforts are required:

1. a) curbing car travel and improving cheap public transport, b) preserving existing green cover and planting more trees, c) de-concretizing our pavements, d) prohibiting littering and segregating garbage.

People should enforce operational standards for sewage treatment plants and deal with illegal constructions and encroachments that harm our environment.

People also need to increase efforts to improve Rajakaluves (channels that connect water bodies).

People should ensure better working of the institutions by electing capable leaders into these institutions and making those institutions accountable.

However, any institution has its own limitations. Therefore, we should elect our politicians carefully.

Only those people should be elected who care about the environment as well as for the development and are not corrupt.