It is urgent to address the current state of Bengaluru’s urban biodiversity, natural heritage and environment. The impacts of ecological degradation is already felt in the city – for example, monsoons are often accompanied by the grim news of many areas getting flooded. These vulnerable areas are often found in large layouts or real estate projects built in valley zones or adjacent to primary stormwater drains lakes/rajakaluves.
Bengaluru, a preferred market for the real-estate sector, has seen an increase of built-up areas that have replaced its green cover.
Construction projects in the city are clearly increasing pollution and accelerating climate change. It is important to examine whether mitigation measures are actually working as intended.
A real estate developer must submit either an Environment Management Plan or an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), depending on the size of the project. An Environment Clearance (EC), along with other permissions from BBMP, BWSSB and others, is required for any project that has a built-up area greater than 20,000 square meters. The State Environment Impact Assessment Authority, (SEIAA), is responsible for granting EC to projects in Bengaluru.
Read More: Not just Lalbagh, your small neighbourhood park too can protect Bengalurus biodiversity
Vidhi Legal, BIC, and Citizen Matters are hosting a webinar to try and explain the EIA process framework in Bengaluru, their workings, and why they have failed to be effective. (Citizen Matters recently reported on standard copy-pasting information in forms submitted by developers as part of the EIA process. And given this background, what impact would the Centre’s proposed changes to the EIA notification entail?
Read more: Unchecked Tree Loss is Taking Out the Slender Loris From Bengaluru
Event details:
Event titleAre you green or gone? Development projects and their effect on the environment
Date: February 11, 20,22
Time6:00 pm (The webinar will conclude with a short Q&A session that is open to all participants.
Register here: https://bit.ly/Green-or-Gone
Speakers:
- Dr. K C Jayaramu: Exec. Chair, State Environmental Impact Assessment Authority. Govt. India
- Ulka Kelkar, Director, Climate Program, World Resources Institute India
- Mohan S Rao is a professional in Landscape Architecture and Environmental Design.
- Bhanu Shridharan – Independent journalist
- Moderated by Meera, co-founder of Citizen Matters
