Global warming and climate change in Mysuru
By S.G. Vombatkere
Flooding occurs when the flow of incoming water exceeds the water flowing out. Rainfall causes inflowing water and the natural topographical slopes drain the water away. In urban areas, rainwater flows away through roadside and storm water drains (SWDs) constructed by City Municipalities. SWDs conform to the natural slopes of the land, determined by topographical survey by city planners. When drainage is blocked by silt, construction debris or urban garbage, rainwater enters homes. The areas in Mysuru City which have been flooding every year, are well-known.
Urban expansion has necessitated housing layouts, which demand land. Constructions in low-lying areas which are part of the natural drainage system, or in lake beds, is an equally serious cause of flooding. When layouts are planned, sanctioned and constructed without heed to drainage, flooding occurs.
The unplanned building permitted by civic authorities in Poornaiah Canal have blocked natural rainwater flow into Kukkarahalli Lake. This has been repeatedly flagged by Mysore Grahakara Parishat (MGP) and Kukkarahalli Kere Ulisi Andolana, but ignored by civic authorities. Others have also demanded removal of encroachments on Poornaiah Canal — Paduvarahalli’s Srigandha Youth Club staged a protest near the City Courts on 20.8.2017, demanding removal of encroachments on Poornaiah Canal.
In 2019, acknowledged water management expert U.N. Ravikumar condemned the unscientific development of layouts and lack of concern for the environment, resulting in encroachments blocking Poornaiah Canal, which feeds fresh water to Kukkarahalli Lake from Bommanahalli Lake near Huyilalu. But civic authorities remained unmoved.
Disaster struck during end-August 2022, when farms, agricultural lands and homes near Bommanahalli and Huyilalu experienced devastating floods, with loss of crops and property. Due to the encroachments of the Poornaiah Canal, water overflowing from Belawadi, Sahukarhundi and Huyilalu Lakes, entered farms and residential layouts in 200 acres of land. Access to an ambulance from one marooned home in a medical emergency, involved wading through flowing flood water for a long distance.
On 3.9.2022, Mysuru Deputy Commissioner (DC) Dr. Bagadi Gautham assured immediate action to clear encroachments but continuing rains on 4.9.2022 prevented work due to increased flood from Huyilalu Lake overflow and IMD (India Meteorological Department) predicts more rain for the next few days.
The DC ordered work under MGNREGA by Mysuru ZP, but work can commence only after the present flood recedes. Hopefully, the Mysuru ZP will prepare now, for emergency work during the following rainless window, to repair damage and clear the Poornaiah Canal encroachments. They might show zeal like BBMP officials following Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai’s orders to clear encroachments of Bengaluru’s Rajakaluves, to deal with catastrophic flooding, which has struck a body blow to Bengaluru’s civic and economic life.
The foregoing concerns flooding due to rainwater not draining away, but incoming rainwater in coming years is only set to increase. Extremely heavy rainfall in a short period of time, or heavy rain continuing over a long period of time, are among “extreme events” due to global warming and climate change (GW-CC), already affecting the globe in multiple ways, with Karnataka and Mysuru being no exception. These will inevitably cause flood devastation with loss of fertile top-soil, food crops, livelihoods and property.
The serious August 2018 flood and landslide devastation in Kodagu was studied on-ground by a technical team from The Institution of Engineers (India). The Report stated — besides recommendations for repair/reconstruction — that an important reason for the disaster was GW-CC combined with decades-long deforestation and unplanned building construction. The IE(I) Report concerning collapse in November 2021, of the 1.4-km road connecting View Point to Nandi Statue on Chamundi Hill, made recommendations concerning repair and restoration, and also pointed at the combination of loss of forest cover and GW-CC. IE(I) submitted both Reports to the incumbent Karnataka CM.
The worst is yet to come, as urbanisation increases unchecked along with increase in frequency and intensity of extreme events of GW-CC. If our Heritage City of Mysuru is not to become a civic and environmental nightmare like Bengaluru, we the people of Mysuru need to understand the civic and environmental problems of tomorrow. Through informed, reasoned and a-political discussion, we must engage with the political and administrative authorities of City, District and State, to ensure better governance.
This is a “Wake-up Call” to the people of Mysuru and to the political and administrative authorities of City, District and State.
This post was published on September 6, 2022 6:15 pm