Planning Strategies for Conservation of Kengeri Lake and its environs in Bangalore Metropolitian Area

Abstract

India is rapidly urbanizing country with cities experiencing both demography and spatial growth. According to United Nation 2014, population projection of 2050 indicates that more than half the population in the country will reside in cities. Lakes are being considered as one of the important feature of the city’s landscape and play an important role in urban life by contributing to ecological sustainability. In metropolitan cities, lakes play a key role in influencing living condition of the people and their environs, increase in ground water table, regulates micro climate, recreational place for each neighbourhood involving in community participation and home for flora and fauna. Rapid expansion of urban areas due to rise in economic growth and population due to growth of IT and industrial sector is increasing additional demand on natural resources thereby causing land-use changes. Bangalore City also faces the same problem because of the fastest growing nature in all the aspects like rapid development such as additional infra structure, environmental pollution, informal settlements and destruction of ecological structure has led to reduction of green and open spaces, as well as degradation and disappearance of Water bodies; decrease in water storage capacity, flora and fauna diversity. Kengeri Lake having an area of 32 acres 16 guntas located in Vrishabhavathi valley of Bangalore Metropolitian area is degraded due to developmental activities. This paper deals with analysing the impact of surrounding development on Kengeri Lake and to propose suitable conservation strategies for environmental improvement of the lake. Research methodology deals with identifying the impacts of different landuse in the catchment area of Kengeri Lake through visual survey and opinion survey.