Page 48 - Shelter - April 2023
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POLICY REVIEW
and more spending on much needed fresh air, water interaction, community
urban infrastructure services and aesthetic environment. gathering, cultural events
expansion to the new areas, However, such natural spaces and sports events. The lack of
apart from that in the existing are increasingly lost in the monitoring and enforcement,
areas. Therefore, low FSI/FAR process of urbanization in poor civic apathy of citizens
(which ranges between less India, leading to the erosion and proliferation informal
than 1 and 2.5) prescribed by of ‘blue green space’ and activities have led to these
several Indian cities is leading expansion of brown space. spacesbeing either lost or
to suburban sprawl and It is important to note that shrunk or degraded into waste
more spending to take urban blue and green urban spaces land with litter. Several cities
infrastructure services to far in cities act as buffers that also have large green spaces
flung areas (Nallathiga 2005). protect against flooding, that serve as lungs for the
On the contrary, western cities pollution and storms. Cities city, which are lost over time.
are moving towards compact such as Bangalore, Mumbai, Some cities like Mumbai and
city development and Chennai and Hyderabad were Bangalore which have natural
revitalizing their central areas in fact blessed with several parks, serve as useful places
so that there could be more lakes, gardens and ponds for biodiversity heritage.
space for the development that were very effective in Further, drains and natural
in an area that already has serving as water buffers. The drainage systems are also lost
been serviced by civic urban systematic disappearance of to development, which has
infrastructure services. Even such water bodies and open/ led to the contraction of water
Asian Pacific cities also have green spaces in these cities flow and the flooding of
higher FSI/FAR of more made them vulnerable to residential areas. The floods
than 6.No wonder the spatial floods on account of intense in Hyderabad, Bangalore
spread of Indian cities is much rainfall or cyclonic storms. In and Chennai are also due to
wider than their international fact, lakes and water bodies in the encroachment of natural
counterparts. Compact these cities were also serving drains and drainage systems
and dense development of as drinking water sources and by the residences and public
western cities helps them to recharge points for ground works. The resultant effects of
conserve the natural resources water. Cities need to plan for such loss of natural drainage is
and save on spending on the revival and strengthening almost permanent and people
civic infrastructure services of existing blue green spaces in several areas reel under
in new remote areas (Jens so that they serve useful to water logging conditions that
and Burgess 2000). Asian current and future generations lead to loss of lives, property
cities, in particular, are able and become attractive space and material resources.
to achieve better economic for recreational purposes. There is no effective law
growth and improved quality or enforcement that makes
of life by allowing compact Likewise, vegetative spaces, the offenders punishable
development (or, higher FSI/ hills, natural parks and under the civil laws besides
FAR) of CBD downtown open spaces have also been reclaiming such systems into
areas. shrinking across the cities due public domain.
to systematic encroachment
Conservation of Natural and conversion to other uses. Adaptation and Mitigation
Environment These spaces serve several Approaches
Cities are endowed with some important functions to the In order to meet with climate
natural spaces, which give citizens like recreation, social change challenges and steer
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