Lok Sabha Question No. 2631 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-12-22
Subject: Floods in Bangalore
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Prajwal Revanna

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI, DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT & GANGA REJUVENATION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2631 ANSWERED ON 22.12.2022

## FLOODS IN BANGALORE

## 2631 SHRI PRAJWAL REVANNA

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:-

(a)  whether it is true that according to report on performance audit of management of storm water, Bangalore city 'is a victim of a paradoxical situation-urban flooding on one hand and depletion of ground water table levels, on the other' and the report also points out the mismanagement of drains and the BBMP's failure in protecting and maintaining drain infrastructure in the city and if so, the details thereof;

(b) whether the Government is aware that around 837 lakes lost their characteristics and presence in Bangalore metropolitan region as reported by EMPRI and if so, the reasons for disappearance of lakes in the city;

(c) whether it has come to the notice of Government about disparity in removal of encroachment of storm water drains/rajakaluve in Bangalore city and if so, the details of encroachment removed during the last one year; and

(d) the latest National Green Tribunal (NGT) orders regarding safe or minimum distance from storm water drain or rajakaluve for residential activity?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI ( SHRI PRAHLAD SINGH PATEL )

(a) Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), the Municipal Corporation of Bangalore city has informed  that  combinations  of  factors  like  excessive  rainfall  in  past  few  years,  rapid  urbanisation, encroachments, etc. is  resulting in urban flooding of Bangalore. Besides above, demand for providing basic  infrastructure  like,  urban  transport,  roads,  layout  formation,  SEZ,  IT  Parks  has  increased considerably resulting in depletion of ground water and causing flooding. 859.90 km length of primary and secondary drains serves BBMP area for storm water drainage.

(b) The report titled 'Inventorization of Water Bodies in Bengaluru Metropolitan Area' was prepared in March 2018 by the Environmental Management and Policy Research Institute (EMPRI), Bengaluru. The  report  categorises  1,521  water  bodies  in  Bengaluru  Metropolitan  Area  under  three  categories based on area: Kere /Lake (those with area more than 3 acre); Katte/Gokatte (1-3 acre); and, Kunte (less than 1 acre). According to the report, over the years, 102 of 497 Keres , 115 of 200 Gokattes , and 620 of 824 Kuntes, have fallen to disuse due to low water inflows and siltation owing to degradation of catchment area, eutrophication from sewage inflows, disposal of solid waste, lack of maintenance, etc.. In  terms  of  area,  so  disused  837  water  bodies  constitute  11.17%.  The  remaining  water  bodies  that constitute 88.83% area are used for fishing, cattle feeding, religious activities, washing, recreational activities etc.

(c) BBMP has informed that there is no disparity shown in removal of encroachment on storm water drains/rajakaluve  in  Bangalore  city.  The  encroachment  are  being  removed  as  soon  as  the  relevant surveys are being conducted by Assistant Director of Land Records and demolition orders are issued by the concerned Tahasildar. The year-wise details of the encroachments identified and removed are at Annexure .

(d) An  order  by  the  Hon'ble  National  Green  Tribunal  (NGT)  regarding  safe  or  minimum  distance from  storm  water  drain  or  rajakaluve  for  residential  activity  was  issued  in  respect  of  Original Application No.222 of 2014 between Forward Foundation & Others v/s State of Karnataka & Others. However, later this order was overturned by the Hon'ble Supreme Court of India. BBMP has informed that the safe or minimum distance (buffer zone) from storm water drain or rajakaluve is being adhered to with respect to the Primary, Secondary and Tertiary drains as per the Revised Master Plan - 2015 which is 50 m, 25m and 15m respectively from the centre-line of the drain.

ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (c) UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2631 TO  BE  ANSWERED  IN  LOK  SABHA  ON  22.12.2022  REGARDING  'FLOODS  IN BANGALORE'

## Encroachments on Storm Water Drains

| Year    | ENCROACHMENTS         | ENCROACHMENTS   | ENCROACHMENTS   | ENCROACHMENTS   | ENCROACHMENTS   | Remarks                                               |
|---------|-----------------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-------------------------------------------------------|
| Year    | Previously identified | Identified      | Total           | Removed         | Balance         | Remarks                                               |
| 2015-16 | Nil                   | 2,515           | 2,515           | 428             | 2,087           |                                                       |
| 2016-17 | 2,087                 | --              | 2,087           | --              | 2,087           |                                                       |
| 2017-18 | 2,087                 | --              | 2,087           | --              | 2,087           |                                                       |
| 2018-19 | 2,087                 | 111             | 2,198           | 804             | 1,394           |                                                       |
| 2019-20 | 1,394                 | --              | 1,394           | 698             | 696             |                                                       |
| 2020-21 | 696                   | --              | 696             | --              | 696             |                                                       |
| 2021-22 | 696                   | --              | 696             | --              | 696             |                                                       |
| 2022-23 | 696                   | 45              | 741             | 146             |                 | 597125 nos of court cases, shift in alignments ,etc.. |

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