THREATS FACED BY URBAN WATER BODIES

Water bodies and Urban Centres

Water bodies are both natural and man

made.

Humans preferred river valleys for

settlements but resorted to springs, wells,

johads, baoris for their consumptive need

of water.

All changed once humans started to tap

rivers for their consumptive water

Phase 1

• Water bodies (ponds, storm water drains, wells, baoris, johads) no longer source of water for consumptive use

• Societal control, management and interest in water bodies lessened and finally disappeared

• Vested interests took over

State of neglect, pollution and gradual encroachment

at Kairana (UP) Nov 2011

Waste Dump and Public Toilet complex constructed

in village johad in Khewra in Sonepat District. April 2010

Kaun Raath Paale ….

Community entities like Panchayats have failed to protect and secure

village Water bodies

Urban developmental agencies have neglected or in some instances

actively worked against maintaining the integrity of Urban water bodies in

the name of developmental projects

Only an appropriate statutory measure can bring in a semblance of

reason and order in an otherwise chaotic and self defeating scenario

vis a vis Water bodies (urban and rural both)

Phase 2

• Continuing draining out and dumping of

waste

• Pollution led eutrophication (loss of DO) of

standing water leading to ponds being

seen more as a source of public nuisance

and hence best converted

This used to be a storm water drain in Panipat city.

Phase 3

• Absence of any Land use policy

• Disappearance of (village) common lands

which could have been used for public

facilities (schools, dispensaries, bus

stands, community halls, parks etc)

• Government departments itching for

creation of their own land banks based on

real or imaginary ‘need’

Clearly if any developmental activity needed land, then first casualty

is the village or even urban water body.

School,

Hospital,

Power station

Bus stand

Toilet complex

Sewage drains

Solid waste dump

Real estate and educational institutions

………..

ISBT at Sarai Kale Khan in New Delhi. 26.09.10

Case study- Narela (Delhi’s newest sub city)

• There are as per MPD 2021 Thirteen (13) village ponds (water bodies) in Narela Zone (P I)

• Ponds, storm water drains (Drain no 6, Bawana Escape), Western Yamuna Canal

• Integrity of water bodies is being actively and increasingly being compromised

Narela – sub city

Narela and zone P II

2004 2012

Munim Ji Ka Bagh

Bus Depot under planning

Patodi Johad

Waste To Energy Plant

Hon’ble Justices Katju and Gyan Sudha Mishra order dated

Jan 28, 2011 in Jagpal Singh Vs State of Punjab

Para 17. …..Our Ancestors were not fools. …they built a pond attached to

every village, a tank attached to every temple etc. These were their traditional

rain water harvesting methods, which served them for thousand of years.

Para 18. Over the last few decades, however most of these ponds in our

country have been filled with earth and built upon by greedy people, thus

destroying their original character. This has contributed to the water shortages

in the country.

Para 22. …..we give directions to all the State Governments in the country

that they should prepare schemes for eviction of illegal/unauthorised

occupants of Gram sabha /Gram Panchayat / Poramboke / Shamlat land and

these must be restored to Gram Sabha / Gram Panchayat for the common

use of villagers of the village.

Way Forward

• GIS maps (DEM) must lead the way in urban

planning

• Natural Water bodies as an ecosystem must get

statutory protection against conversion

• Every planning body must have an empowered

and senior enough environment expert on it and

should vet every developmental plan from

environmental angle specially to ensure the

integrity and conservation of water bodies

This is why Delhi had almost 900 water bodies and even a small

down pour results in water logging on roads

Digital Elevation Model of Bangaluru. No wonder it Is called as the

city of lakes

THANK YOU