Bangalore’s Blistering Barnacles

Bangalore has evolved from a calm green small town to a not so green, not so calm and an ever growing metropolitan. Development and progress always means growth and betterment from the present state of affairs to a higher standard. In the process the city has faced a lot of environmental problems and issues of the environment are always a deep concern to it’s citizens.

Bangalore’s Lost Tree Cover

Walking down Bangalore roads was such a stress buster, with the Ashoka trees on the side and Gulmohar (May Flower) trees forming a canopy. One could unwind and have a relaxing walk to or from work. But now such walks are disappearing. The roads are very much there, but the trees are gone. Most of them were uprooted to widen roads.

Bangalore's Lost Canopy

It’s a very disturbing sight to see 100 year old trees uprooted, sidewalks barren and your shady canopy gone.

Bangalore has the impeccable record of highest growth within a span of 20 years as of 2005. This has called for better infra structure, widening roads and townships and now the Metro. Tree lovers say that the trees have to be protected at any cost even if it means taking the Metro underground. But the metro authorities say that will lead to more felling of trees. So what the people of Bangalore can do is either hug the trees and save them or succumb to the rule of development and start planting trees along the new roads. Plant two for every tree lost.

Traffic Troubles

Widening roads and townships are on the rise due to the enormous influx of people from all over the country in search of IT jobs and higher education. They get themselves a car or a scooter or two. Shocking fact is, Bangalore is said to have the highest number of two wheelers in the world. Office goers and college students usually take a rickshaw [there are one Lakh rics] or their bikes to reach their destination, and this causes heavy clogged up traffic. Again, Bangalore has one of the highest density of Traffic in the world.

Cars Only | No Pedestrians Allowed

Rocketing Pollution Levels

Use of public transport should be inculcated by students. Working professionals must embrace carpools to make an impact on present traffic conditions. Most importantly, it would bring down the elevated pollution level in the city, from the alarmingly high level of SO2-8 mg/metre cube, SPM- 362 mg/metre cube.

Rainwater Harvesting = Good Investment

Bangalore receives a healthy annual dose of rain at 859mm, yet parts of Bangalore suffer from lack of drinking water and low ground water levels. These areas can start rain water harvesting. Some say it’s an expensive concept, but, hey, you already pay for precious water  while rainwater freely just pours down the drain. It is a collective social responsibility to at least channel this free manna into man-made reservoirs or tanks. This water can be used for multiple purposes, washing, cleaning, watering plants. It can even be channeled directly into the soil which to eventually increase the ground water level. Perhaps then bore wells wont be pumping muddy water or air but some clean water ! Rain water harvesting is a good investment.

Wasted!

Bangalore has a pretty successful garbage collection and management process. BBMP has set up an excellent daily door to door garbage collection system. The problem lies with the final disposal of the collected waste which is not treated properly or dumped at the right locations. Bangalore has inadequate land fills and trash vans often just find an empty plot on the peripheral of an area and use that as a dumping ground. Adequate land fills have to be allotted for house and industrial wastes.

To begin, the Municipality has to provide different trash cans for various types of wastes. For example, garbage needs to be separated at home. Food wastes, glass, paper, metal and plastic. Then dumped in their respective bins and treated. This is not as difficult as it seems. Segregating our waste at home would only help the waste management system do a better job.

We need to make an effort and start advocating Green Policies seriously. We being you, me and every other person who calls this city home, temporary or permanent. Go Green.