‘B’luru has gone from being the city of lakes to city of concrete’

NT Correspondent
Bengaluru

Explaining the poor implementation of the rules and regulations set up for the water bodies in the city, Director of Water Institute, UVCE, Bengaluru University, Dr Inayathulla M, highlighted at the water conclave that years of rapid urbanisation, a swelling population and poor water management have led to drying taps, falling groundwater levels and filth-frothed lakes that can burst into flames.

“Bengaluru has gone from being the city of lakes to the city of concrete. Because of this, all the water has disappeared,” Dr Inayathullah said at the Water Conclave.

The population in the city has more than doubled to about 12 million since 2001 and is predicted to hit 20 million by 2031, he said.

“Each day, the city pushes 1.4 billion litres of water through its pipes, but still falls 800 million litres short of meeting the city’s ballooning needs. One of the biggest difficulties, he said, is that much of the water comes from the Cauvery River more than 100 km away. To get to Bengaluru, the water must be pumped uphill, and then, on the way to homes, more than 20% of the water is lost to leaks from old and corroded pipes and storage units,” Dr Inayathullah said during the event.

Bengaluru was built around a series of lakes that acted as rainwater reservoirs and recharged the aquifers, providing a renewable source of water. But the lakes have been under attack by urbanisation, encroached by real estate projects and left foaming and frothing as toxic effluents, sewage and trash produced by industries and homes fill them.

However, he said that the issue can be resolved with the coordination from the alumni of BU, present researchers and professors, the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) and other stakeholders. Also, he added that the Institute hopes to provide short-term courses for training the government officials. “The Water Institute will act as a bridge between research institutes and government stakeholders,” he added.