Hot-n-happening Bangalore won't be cool any more

Hot-n-happening Bangalore won't be cool any more
By: Manjunath L Hanji Date: 2010-05-19 Place: Bangalore




Experts warn that unchecked urbanisation and growing vehicular population may deplete city's precious green cover and raise temperatures dangerously

Experts from the Institute of Wood Science and Technology (IWST) say Bangalore is unlikely to be as cool 10 years from now. And it is not the city's fabled hipness quotient they are talking about.

Felling of trees in the city, increasing carbon monoxide emissions, and light reflected from buildings are all hampering photosynthesis that is vital for maintenance and growth of the city's green cover.


If we continue cutting tress, Bangalore will probably be tree-bald after 2030, experts say.


"Among other reasons behind large scale dying of trees in the city, are the cement and tar beds that weaken the roots and cause water to evaporate thus depriving the trees of water," explained an IWST expert.

Traffic snarls in the city ensure that two-wheelers consume double the petrol they actually should and produce excess carbon monoxide, which harms photosynthetic activity by blocking sunrays.

"Uprooting trees that are just 15 to 20 year old, especially gulmohars, which have been planted in the city by the government.

Gulmohar trees have weak stems and roots that are forced to grow horizontally as buildings do not allow the roots to go deep.

Trees that are older than 50 years don't uproot that easily because they already have deep roots," said IWST experts.

Environmentalist K Chalam said, "We have been offering our suggestions to the government for the last five years. Nothing has come of it so far.

If we continue like this, after 2030 we will live to see a tree-bald Bangalore.

To make matters worse, the government is chopping many trees in the name of development. We need to be careful because nature is not a manufactured thing. "

3.7 million
Number of vehicles in the city

70
Percentage of two-wheeler in the city's vehicular population