Monstrous urbanisation destroyed Bengaluru's peri-urban woods, sucked up groundwater: Study

Rapid urbanisation is spilling over into Bengaluru’s peripheral villages, eating away the green cover and depleting groundwater in eight villages of Jadigenahalli gram panchayat in Bengaluru Rural.

A research study by the Institute of Social and Economic Change (ISEC) showed that the built-up area in these villages, located 20 kilometres from Whitefield, increased by 106% in 14 years, transforming its landscape.

Falling under the Hoskote taluk, the gram panchayat has 4,788 acres in its jurisdiction, spread across Govindapura, Haralur, Jadigenahalli, Karibeeranahosahalli, Kolathur, Kurubura Gollahalli and Vadigerahalli areas along with plantation.

K V Raju, former professor and head of the Centre for Ecological Economics and Natural Resources, and S Manasi, associate professor at the Centre for Research in Urban Affairs in ISEC, studied the changes at the village level between 1973 and 2017. Their ground survey and satellite data revealed a rapid transformation of the villages over the last 20 years.

IT boom

A comparison of data from 2003, when the IT boom began, and 2017 shows the built-up land and new areas increased by 107% from 147.27 acres to 304.79 acres. Areas under the new layouts also tripled during the 14-year period.

The monstrous transformation directly impacted natural resources, especially water. Land under agriculture dropped from 3,627 acres in 1973 to 1,779 acres in 2003 and is shrinking further each year. Data for 2017 puts the farmed area to just 1,505 acres.

Out of the 413 borewells the researchers studied, 144 or 35% had been defunct, while the rest of them are finding survival more challenging.

Nearly 139 of the borewells are sucking water from 1,000 to 1,500 feet below the ground, while 107 had a depth range of 751 to 1,000 feet.

Out of 67 open wells, 54 were defunct. “Open wells have almost become obsolete,” the study said, noting that the structure barely holds any water even during the monsoon.

The rapid change in the ecosystem reveals the pressure on the peri-urban area, the study noted. “Bengaluru appears to have had effects of its growth on the surrounding rural landscape,” it said, citing urbanisation and policy decisions.

Manasi shared her concerns with DH over the lack of policy to support sustainable growth in peri-urban areas.

“Change in land use and pressure on natural resources has brought some positive changes like the adoption of drip irrigation. However, such changes have also become inadequate, which is reflected in the way the younger generation is abandoning agriculture and opting for driving cabs and other odd jobs,” she said.

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