Projects that ignore sustainability concerns violate citizens’ rights

Despite vociferous protests by several citizen groups and environmentalists, road development projects are planned with total disregard for trees. The 33,000 plus trees lined up for felling for the Peripheral Ring Road (PRR) adds to the ecological impact of the controversial road-widening on the city’s outskirts.

Interacting with a cross-section of Bengalureans, DH dwells deeper into the dangers posed by the proposed moves to the city’s sustainable growth in the future. As environmentalist V Ramprasad notes, “Any master plan or development or growth has to be in accordance with the democratic law of the land. Hence, due processes need to be followed as per the 74th amendment of the Constitution.”

He elaborates that a city with an environmental and ecological balance is the need for sustainable living and development. “It is not a choice, and any outward growth without parameters of sustainability in terms of climate, clean air and water etc violates the fundamental rights of a citizen.”

Any plan that does not provide for the basic well being of its citizens with the least dependency on external inputs, Ramprasad says, will only spell trouble in the future.

Citizens Agenda for Bengaluru founder Sandeep Anirudhan notes that with Bengaluru’s green cover reduced to less than 3% (which used to be 70%), “we have long crossed the threshold of disaster!”

The KRDCL (Karnataka Road Development Corporation Limited) project, he reminds, has not obtained the mandatory Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) clearance. “Yet the Chief Secretary has issued orders to the forest department to start felling the trees.”

The public consultation for the PRR project has been called in a hurry, in a remote location, during the Covid-19 emergency. “This shows that the government’s intention is to hold a hoax public consultation.”

These facts point to absolute misgovernance and corruption. An inquiry has to be instituted to check how such violations took place, and those responsible should be punished, he says. “Any road development plan has to be part of a transport plan subset of a master plan. Since we do not have a scientifically drafted master plan, all of these projects are unplanned, and therefore counterproductive.”

For many Bengalureans who had seen the green city gradually turn grey, the prospect of losing even the surviving trees is too much to digest. They feel helpless and regret that all the projects are being planned in their name without even consulting them.

Megha K, a software engineer at L&T infotech, has this to say: “It is high time we realized that technology will not give us oxygen like trees do. The rapid boom in technology has created an unpleasant ambience in Bengaluru.”

The different road development projects on the outskirts of the city will have a negative impact on the outlying villages and agricultural fields that provide vegetables, fruits and flowers to those living within the city, she says. “Such areas can be prone to months-long droughts. This will also result in a decline in rainfall and the formation of fewer rain clouds.”

Swathi Nayak, a resident of Indiranagar, says it is now time to ‘wake up.’ The ruthless cutting down of trees will not make our city smart but just plain concrete. “Trees improve the livability of our cities for countless reasons such as air quality and the cooling effect they provide.”

Besides being the natural habitat of several species of birds and animals, trees are critical for the health and well being of all citizens. “Ignoring these key benefits will adversely affect the city. Unscientific development of infrastructure is just not the way forward,” Nayak notes.