THE CONTEXT: Bengaluru, known for its lush landscapes and booming IT sector, faces a severe water crisis exacerbated by drought 2023. This crisis, reflecting broader issues of water mismanagement and unplanned urbanization, is not unique to Bengaluru but affects many urban and rural areas across southern India.
ISSUES:
- Unplanned Urbanisation: Bengaluru has undergone significant unplanned urbanization, which has led to a drastic reduction in green cover and interconnected water bodies, contributing to the water crisis.
- Mismanagement of Water Resources: There is widespread mismanagement across the country, with a heavy reliance on groundwater and insufficient measures to recharge these sources. Insufficient attention is paid to the ecosystems along river basins, which are crucial for the sustainability of urban centers.
- Deforestation and Environmental Degradation: The loss of forest cover in the Cauvery watershed, which supplies water to Bengaluru, has been significant. This has affected the river’s flow and contributed to water scarcity.
- Inadequate Governance and Institutions: The current governance model for water management is insufficient, with multiple agencies operating in silos and a lack of coordination among them. The infrastructure in cities like Bengaluru is poorly planned, with concrete and improper road construction impeding natural hydrological flows and contributing to flooding.
- Lack of Expertise and Accountability: There is a lack of subject experts in key positions within state agencies, and accountability is often missing, leading to corruption and inefficient use of funds.
- Overpopulation and Carrying Capacity: Bengaluru has exceeded its carrying capacity due to rapid population growth and urban sprawl, which has put additional strain on the city’s water resources.
THE WAY FORWARD:
- Paradigm Shift in Water Governance: Transition from water supply boards to water management boards considering all forms of water as an ecological resource. Integrating rainwater, groundwater, surface water, lakes, tanks, river streams, and wastewater into a comprehensive management strategy. Place subject experts in key positions within state agencies to ensure competent water management. Introduce accountability in the system and tackle corruption to ensure effective planning and use of funds.
- Integrated River Basin Management: Establish institutions to oversee the landscape, including deforestation, sand mining, pollution, and agricultural practices, ensuring the river basins are not irretrievably altered. Encourage rooftop rainwater harvesting in houses to capture and utilize rainwater. Reestablishing the interconnectivity of lakes can rejuvenate them and retain rainwater, mitigating flooding.
- Urban Planning and Infrastructure: Implement urban planning that allows groundwater recharge, such as maintaining porous cityscapes and preventing excessive concretization. Redesign roads to facilitate hydrological flows rather than acting as barriers, which can help prevent flooding.
- Cluster-based Development: Promote cluster-based development to encourage reverse migration and reduce the pressure on Bengaluru. This involves shifting industries to taluk headquarters to foster regional development.
- Long-term Planning: Plan for future growth by building infrastructure that can accommodate an increasing population while managing resources sustainably. Develop long-term and sustainable solutions to urban challenges rather than resorting to knee-jerk reactions during crises.
- Singapore’s Water Management: Singapore’s integrated water management approach, which includes NEWater (recycled water), desalination, and rainwater capture, could serve as a model for Bengaluru.
- Curitiba’s Urban Planning: The Brazilian city of Curitiba is known for its innovative urban planning that includes green spaces and an efficient public transport system, reducing resource pressure.
THE CONCLUSION:
To address the water crisis in Bengaluru and other urban areas, there is a need for a paradigm shift in water governance, moving from water supply boards to water management boards that consider all forms of water as an ecological resource. This should be coupled with integrated river basin management, sustainable urban planning, rainwater harvesting, decentralized development, environmental protection, and institutional competence and accountability. Long-term planning and anticipation of future growth are crucial to ensure the sustainability of cities and their water resources.
UPSC PAST YEAR QUESTIONS:
Q.1 What are the environmental implications of recreating water bodies into urban land use? Explain with examples. 2021
Q.2 Effectively managing land and water resources will drastically reduce human miseries. Explain 2016
Q.3 The ideal solution to depleting groundwater resources in India is a water harvesting system.” How can it be made effective in urban areas? 2018
MAINS PRACTICE QUESTION:
Q.1 Bengaluru, once known for its pleasant weather and green spaces, is now facing a severe water crisis. Analyze the factors contributing to this crisis and suggest measures to ensure sustainable water management in the city.
SOURCE: https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/is-the-urban-water-system-breaking/article68027545.ece
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