Tsunami of development: Onus not on govt alone

VIEWPOINT
Tsunami of development: Onus not on govt alone
By Suresh Heblikar
The Times of India

Bangalore has been declared as one of India’s seven most polluted cities and the Supreme Court has viewed the matter seriously. In fact, it has directed the state government to take action by giving the matter top priority. The government is also under tremendous pressure by corporates and a section of citizens to take up infrastructure development such as construction of fast-track ring roads, flyovers, the international airport, etc. Just as the government has turned its spotlight towards the tsunami-hit areas and people there, another warning bell has been sounded — the possible decline in supply of drinking water and electricity.

Government agencies need to gear up to face a slew of challenges the New Year has brought in its wake. As far as air pollution in Bangalore is concerned, it is a formidable task to tackle. Nearly 700-1,000 vehicles are added every day to the existing 21-lakh vehicle population. Considerable amount of carbon is jettisoned into the air by vehicles every day. Nearly 40,000 autorickshaws are more than 15 years old, which contribute enormously to pollution. So are trucks and lorries, many of which are reported to be using adulterated fuel.

Ironically, more the development Bangalore goes in for, more are we losing trees by way of widening roads, construction of flyovers, new housing layouts and the like. Unfortunately, there is no modern technology by which we can clean polluted air. It’s only trees that sequester carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide from the polluted air. But the tsunami of development is gobbling the tree cover and water bodies of Bangalore.

Added to it, its topography is such that pollutants (suspended particulate matter, SPM) in the atmosphere descend slowly through the night and create ground-level pollution, which affect mostly children when they walk in the morning to schools.

With the vanishing tree cover, precipitation is on the decline, pollution levels are going up, temperatures are rising and lakebeds becoming drier. Development around the T.G. Halli reservoir, the city’s main drinking water supply source, and the consequent deterioration of the catchment area has already reduced inflow of rainwater into the reservoir. Hesaraghatta lake, one of the biggest sources of fresh water supply to the city, went dry quite sometime ago.

We need more water for the ever-increasing population of Bangalore; more electricity to light homes and run industries. Most important of all, we need more trees to bring down air pollution.

Thus it is the environment which is the biggest issue and a formidable challenge, not development. Development can take place at any time and in any way we want, while environment cannot happen that way. Development is a lateral extension of the environment while environment is at the core of all development. Bangalore got developed because it was environmentally benign. So many multinationals came here to savour the salubrious climate. How ethical would it be to neglect the environment when it is on the decline?

I strongly feel there is a need to build our environmental assets just as we develop infrastructure. An environmentally degraded state or nation can hardly aspire for sound development. Bangalore can be a beautiful city provided we take care of its environment. The government alone can’t do this. We are equally responsible.

(The writer is an environmentalist).