Environment expert TV Ramachandra said that the Karnataka government must shift its focus to regrowing the city’s vegetation in the wake of severe inundation following rains.
Story so far: According to the expert, Bengaluru has lost 88% of its forest cover and 75% of its water bodies. Speaking at a webinar, ‘Karnataka: Cities Under Water, Why?’, Ramachandra also pointed out that the number of trees has reduced significantly, with one tree for every seven people in the city.
- He stated that the government should take back encroached lakes and stormwater drains to avoid major calamities in the future.
- The green cover in the city also needs to be addressed to restore Bengaluru’s old vegetation.
Other issues: Another panellist in the webinar, Dr Srikanth Srirama, raised the issue of diseases that could spread as a result of flooding and inundation. Sanjana A of Fridays for Future called for action against climate change that is already impacting different parts of the state.