City News-City Issues

Thinking of setting right of urban environment, citizen participation is a must : YS Yellappa Reddy

Environmentalist and Chief Advisor to Chief Minister Vision Committee chairman YS Yellappa Reddy, also former IFS officer, speaking on the occasion of improving ‘Urban Environment in the city’

L.Raghunanda
4th Estate
Bangalore

Yellappa Reddy having initiated various activities regarding to improving urban space in the city regarding parks and open spaces, natural valleys, lakes, roadside tree planting,, growing natural plants, green belt, reduction of air and noise pollution, in the city.

According to Reddy while master plan for the city provide for 10% space to be allocated for parks, what is available is only 7.5%, while BBMP parks are left unattended as to maintenance of cleaning.

Reddy said “those person in the surrounding area wherein the locality park is there must take initiative and through group or community initiative they must take up it maintenance, parks are required for people to walk, jog, and exercise.

When asked about the proposed idea suggested as advisor to Chief Minister Vision Committee about proposed park development taking into consideration of most of park being neglected

Reddy answered “to be simple, I am not suggesting large parks but small parks mostly ‘tree parks’ which I initiated to be in Bangalore University campus, when I was Chief Advisor to Bangalore University , these tree park all came because some in NSS volunteered to have such park.

Reddy proposed to say parks must remain as parks, while children play there is need of playground for children, while law say’s that in each area minimum of five acres must remain as playground area, for children in age group of 6-14 years in for the physical development, when they need to play and go merry around.

But see what is happening ? poor childrens they are playing in roads, vacant spaces and terraces, so when urban infrastructure is well planned playground should be well considered.

Bangalore previously known for good number of lakes with 144 lakes in BBMP area, in the green belt of Bangalore metropolitan area, there are 81 live tanks and 262 lakes, as of now these lakes need to be improved to charge ground water and to improve environment.

While most of the sewage is diverted to the lakes which may or may not be in low lying, as part of initiative and being advisor, which I have suggested to Lake development authority that is under ‘unique water system’ sewage must be treated and then left to recharge for lakes, with ground acquifiers then this must supplied to localities, as time passes ground water level may soon be depleted.

Reddy said “that all resident building apartment, there is need to make mandatory for them to use only recharged, recycled water sourced through lakes, by this people will care for lakes.

“While there is heap of garbage disposal, in tons which most being devoured , sometimes unattended, huge task is left to clean up which you can and neighbours always coming with complaint one idea which apartment dwellers in Diamond district of HAL have been following for quite sometime is really astounding.

These dwellers who are known for deep civic sense segregate the disposal, by these much of the work and cost which goes in later segregation will be avoided and the women who involve in segregation are earning Rs 7,000/ to Rs.8,000 per month.

As these are segregated under defined parameters, plastic and other goes for recycling by which percentage of income is generated and used by apartment dwellers, these is one of good example of civic participation.

When asked about any similar urban initiative taken in any district of the state Reddy said “ last week I happened to attend one Lok Adalat in Mysore for which I am member, where district commissioner, CEO took part, we called on official to initiate similar waste disposal measures, sewage treatment.

We members of the Lok adalat said if any authorities within your jurisdiction never pay heed whether you don’t act , people have complained to us , right is there to file affidavit in high court under Article -40 and 21 where anybody can get justice under right to life, good hygiene.