This is really an excellent news. Made my day. The 2 crore allocation in meager, but nevertheless, a good start.
"Today, Arkavathy is history. But now, a movement has been begun to rejuvenate the river. As a prelude, a four-day paadayatra from Nandi Hills to TG Halli was flagged off by urban development minister S Suresh Kumar on Thursday morning. As seers from a mutt performed puja at the ugamasthana 1,500 members started a 101-km-long journey on foot. For four days, they will educate residents of villages alongside about the need to revive the water source."
Read the full story at: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/news/city/bangalore/Campaign-launched-to-revive-the-resourceful-Arkavathy/articleshow/4969427.cms
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Noted, thanks
How to revive a river? Are there case studies/examples from elsewhere in the world?
Are there any specialists who do this?
How do you measure the water flow, and track whether its up or down?
Guess we can ask this to Prof Ramachandra today.
Case study: Cheonggycheon river
SB and others,
One that immediately comes to mind is a case study from Seoul (South Korea). The highly polluted Cheonggycheon river was turned to a 6-lane highway (Road over Drain anyone?) in the 70s and then 30 years later was the focus of a massive urban renewal project to restore the original stream. Of course it did not come cheap at an estimated cost of $281 million (Source: Wikipedia)
Read more here with pics from its present state and its days as a 6-lane highway here and here.
Hydrologists trained in restoration ecology would be perfect candidates for a project like this... but there would need to have some record of historical flows (WRDO?). IMO, what's more important to consider is the ultimate goal of restoration... its utility as a potable water source alone or the greater ecological benefits of ecosystem restoration.
TM
PS: Did anyone pickup on the rather innocuous line towards the end of the ToI article that asked 162 factories in Yelahanka to move out by Sept 30?! In light of that, I see this as just another attempt to 'revive' something without really trying!
TM
Cheonggycheon river restoration
Cheonggycheon river restoration project became successful only after Seoul invested heavily in mass transits such as Metro & BRT. Removal of the highway over the river, coupled with traffic restraining measures & introduction of mass transits forced vehicle volumes downwards.
The then mayor of Seoul, Lee Myung Bak had faced a lot of flak since traffic congestion had been severe. However, he was convinced that this was the way ahead - & successfully brought about a turnaround & had restored the river. Further, this effort had helped streamline traffic in Seoul. Technology, with real-time monitoring of traffic with cameras & sensors covering whole lengths of all main roads were installed & Seoul was transformed & now resembles cities in Japan.
Here, we are building mass transits & at the same time, building elevated & signal-free roads - similar to Bangkok. These actually go against one another & the metro trains will be operating empty & might face financial difficulties immediatley after it's opening. Further, lake restoration projects in the city may be unsuccessful as the pressures on the roads will continue, with a tendency to encroach upon lake shores for more roads, housing, etc. as commuting distances /difficulties by private modes will command the shots.
Unless authorities realize that more facilities means more traffic & pursue a policy to discourage use of private vehicles substantially, we will continue to be a messy city, & river /lake restoration efforts will be that much more difficult.
Eucalyptus trees may be banned to save water
If the state government implements the recommendations of the Karnataka Neeravari Nigama Limited (KNNL), then eucalyptus trees may be banned in the catchments of Arkavathy river. According to official sources, the KNNL, in its survey report, has recommended to ban eucalyptus trees in the catchment of the river as they suck a lot of water and thereby deplete the already depleting ground water.
The official said, when the ground water gets depleted, the rain water seeps into the ground reducing the flow in the river. Hence, the KNNL has requested the government to demolish 475 big check dams constructed along the course of the river at Nandi Hills, from where the river originates, and Hesarghatta to enable the water that gets collected in these check dams.
For the full report in the New Indian Express, click here
Eucalyptus has from long known to be eco-unfriendly. Its farming has contuinued only because of the financial support from the paper mills, for absolutely no work at all. However, the degradation of the soil that it has caused is incomparable. As such, the present move is most welcome.
clear Eucalyptus, and "afforestt" the lands
The High Court on Monday directed the state government to consider a representation seeking a ban on eucalyptus plantations after conducting a study and, if necessary, to come to a conclusion to remove the trees if they are responsible for depletion of ground water.
For the full text of the report in the New Indian Express, click here.
I expect the courts cannot go beyond saying this much. The harmful effects of eucalyptus has been well documented. It is now upto the government to do away with this and similar harmful imports (Ooty and Kodaikanal hills have plenty of them) once and for all, and for the civil society to come together to demand it.
The lands thus cleared may be "afforestt"-ed with maintenance-free, wild and biodiverse forests, along the lines quite perfected by eco-entrepreneur Shubhendu Sharma - check here for his TED talk, and here for his blog.
pertinent to city too..the
pertinent to city too..the decission to clear eucalyptus trees in plantation is a very good one and the implications of plating these trees in the cities is the same as in the farms..
as discussed earlier here on praja..such trees need to be removed asap..there are an old couple on the street on residency road where the tendersure work is happening..they can removed as is..there are more on hosur road too..in the police trg grounds..
ofcourse new trees on the likes of mohogany need to be planted in their place..