To mitigate
hazards due to global warming, tree planting is to be encouraged. Tree lovers
are struggling hard to retain trees affected from road widening by Bruhat
Bangalore Mahanagar Palike (BBMP). They are organizing agitations, preventing
persons entrusted to cut trees, and arguing with BBMP authorities. This
happened a few years back when BBMP
commenced widening of Sankey Road by removal of well grown trees. Similar agitations were held for widening
of Sampige Road and road along Bangalore
Palace. The Sankey Road residents were even arrested and later released . Their
interest is not to affect environment by removal of trees, is to be
appreciated. Sankey Road residents are showing the way to residents of other
parts of the city to protect trees in their respective localities. Such active
citizens should be honoured for their good citizenship. Such devoted people
should be elected as corporators and
legislators in the interest of improvement of the city. There should also be awareness
for proper footpaths for use by pedestrians, pedestrian crossings, rejuvenation
of vanishing lakes, etc.
BBMP may review
its road widening program to see whether all the roads proposed for widening
are required to be widened in view of the introduction of Metro Rail and
proposal to take up Mono Rail networks,
and bus transport as feeder service. Road traffic is expected to be less by
about 40% after such multi-modal transportation is introduced. There is also a
proposal by the Railways to introduce Suburban Rail to help the commuters. The efforts of some European cities is
to create hardship for movement of
private vehicles by prohibiting private vehicles in the central business
district during peak hours, and levy of congestion tax for movement of private
vehicles in the central area. The idea is to force the citizens to use mass transportation. But, we have to consider
such policies only after effective provision of metro rail and mono rail net
works and not till then.
Some of the
architects and builders interested in improving urban environment are providing
vertical gardens in tall structures and
on terraces. More and more instances of civic awareness are likely in future
due to environmental degradation, global warming, etc. affecting living
conditions.
The good living
conditions in earlier times with sincere administration in providing parks and
tree planting for the benefit of people is mentioned herein. We have read in
history books about the good administration by some rulers. It is mentioned
among their achievements in the administration that the rulers formed avenues
with trees and formed parks. The capital cities of the earlier rulers have
roads with tree planting, good parks, landscaping, boulevards, public buildings
with good landscaping, etc. Mysore, Delhi, Jaipur are examples of such cities.
New Delhi developed by British rulers is an example of good roads with trees,
parks, landscaping around heritage structures, etc. Moghul Kings contributed a lot for
landscaping in their palaces and premises of heritage buildings. Even
industrialists like Tatas have contributed to good tree planting in city like
Jamshedpur. Hyder Ali developed Lal Bagh in Bangalore. During the Britishers
rule, Cubbon Park was developed. Bangalore Palace area is another example of
good tree cover around Palace building. Role of former army officers is to be
appreciated for forming good cantonment areas providing wide roads with tree
planting, parks and playgrounds, etc. Cities like; Bangalore, Belgaum etc, are examples
of good urban development by army officers. Le Corbusier is remembered for his
valuable contribution in the design of Chandigarh City where one third of the
city area was used for forming parks, gardens, avenue trees, green strips,
urban forestry, etc. Adequate provision for
green spaces are made in
Chandigarh for good environment.
In Singapore,
green corridors are developed connecting parks and natural valleys. In Sao
Paulo, Brazil, private sector is involved under public-private partnership to
plant trees and monthly progress in tree planting reviewed. Such policies and
programs are required to be introduced in large cities of India in the interest
of improving environment.
BBMP has its own Horticulture Section . Most of the
park areas reserved in BDA extensions
and enforced in private layouts are lying as vacant spaces where debris and
garbage are dumped. There are instances
of encroachment also in the neglected park areas. BDA may develop the park areas before handing over its layouts and
private layouts to BBMP for maintenance.
The Horticulture
Department and the Forest Department may also take up parks/mini forest
projects in Bangalore to contribute
towards bringing back the name of Garden City. Tree planting may be taken up in
wider roads formed by BDA like Outer Ring Road
and other roads.
In view of
Global warming and indifferent weather conditions, serious action is necessary
by civic agencies as well as private sector developers, builders, and Corporate companies to provide tree
planting as much as possible in their
projects.
The Karnataka
High Court observed during November, 2014, that the state administration is not
aware of the number of trees in Bangalore, how much green space is lost in the
recent years to make way for high-rise buildings and infrastructure projects.
The Honourable Court directed the State government to
constitute a ‘Tree Authority’ under section
3 of the Karnataka Trees Preservation Act,1976. It was directed that the
Authority has to closely examine every tree before it is fell. The aim is to
ensure transparency, reduce air pollution, and maintain greenery. This was
reported in Deccan Herald news paper
dated 13-11-2014. It was mentioned in the press report that BBMP formed earlier
two committees separately for Bangalore North Taluk and Bangalore South Taluk,
but they have not met even once till date. Environmental experts commented
that such lapses in governance is unfortunate. As the effects of Global
warming is bad, Government should monitor actions by BBMP for improving
greenery.
Earlier, 15% of
the layout area was reserved for parks and open spaces in BDA extensions as
well as private layouts. But, in the Master Plan – 2015, the provision was
reduced to 10%. Due to this, the result is more of concrete surfaces and less
of open spaces. At least, the same percentage or more should have been
maintained in the interest of mitigating the hazards of deteriorating
environment. Why not they follow the example of Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Sao
Paulo in Brazil, and Chandigarh, etc. Master Plan-2031 which is under
preparation by BDA , should make higher provision for parks and open spaces. It
should be 15% of the layout area, this has to
be ensured by Government while according approval to the Master
Plan-2031.
1.
Parks
2. Boulevards
3. City roads and highways
4. Boundaries of playgrounds
5. Open spaces in public premises
6. Lands not fit for building purposes
7. Green Belt (Agricultural Zone)
8. Natural valley margins, and
9.
Apartments,
and commercial complexes.
1. The National
Urban Housing and Habitat Policy, 2007 states that “It will be desirable to
pursue a goal of 20-25% recreational land use area (excluding water bodies)
which has been prescribed for metropolitan cities by the Urban Development Plan
Formulation and Implementation (UDPFI) Guidelines in order to improve
environment in large cities. This policy is to be enforced strictly by making
adequate provisions for parks and open spaces in the master plans, and building
byelaws. In BDAs Master Plan-2015 the UDPFI guidelines are not followed. At
least in the next master plan, UDPFI guidelines may be followed.
2. Concessions
in property tax may be introduced for every tree planted and maintained after
the trees are maintained and grown up.
3. Hierarchy of
road network may be planned to provide for adequate width for tree planting. In
any road widening scheme, the existing trees should not be cut but additional
traffic lanes provided by taking over road margin areas.
4. In some
commercial complexes, trees are removed in
the frontage of the complex
for parking of their vehicles. This should be prohibited and only entry of
vehicles through a gate be allowed.
5. Trees are
removed for road widening, transmission lines, etc. Double the number of trees
removed should be planted and maintained.
6. Bangalore
Palace declared as taken over by government under The Urban Land Ceiling Act, 1976 earlier, and is said
to be under litigation, may be provided with lot of tree cover to enable
citizens to use it as a Third City Level Park in addition to Lal Bagh and
Cubbon Park.
5. Government
lands in Bangalore Metropolitan Area may be developed as tree parks/urban forests
including the government lands after clearing the encroachments.
6. The
Comprehensive Development Plan (CDP)-1984, provided two thirds of the Metropolitan Area reserved as Green Belt. In future master plans, areas for further urbanization may be proposed beyond
the Green Belt with good connectivity instead of reducing the Green Belt area
reserved already in the earlier master plans.
7. The buildings
allowed as permissible uses in the Green Belt area with 20% of the land as
built up area with ground and one floor may be discontinued as it is observed
that later without effective enforcement, violations are made increasing the
built up area. It is suggested that buildings may be completely prohibited in
the Green Belt area.
8. For improving
the beauty of the cities, Corporate companies may be involved to adopt
particular roads for beautification with tree planting by allowing limited advertisements for their own purpose.
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