Webinar: Green or gone? Development projects and their impact on environment

by February 9, 2022 Environment
Join this discussion on Feb 11th, on how real estate projects in Bengaluru are getting Environment Clearance, and how effective this process is.

The existing state of urban biodiversity, environment and natural heritage in Bengaluru is a matter of urgent concern. 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. Many of these vulnerable sites are found in large layouts and real estate projects that are built in valley zones and adjacent to lakes/rajakaluves (primary stormwater drains).

A favoured market for the real estate sector, Bengaluru has witnessed an increase in built-up area that has replaced its green cover and wildlife habitats.

Map showing how built-up area has replaced green cover in Bengaluru over time
Built-up area has been rapidly replacing green cover and wildlife habitats in the city. Graphic courtesy: T V Ramachandra, Indian Institute of Science

Clearly, construction projects in the city are worsening pollution and exacerbating climate change. So it is worth examining whether the processes designed to mitigate these effects are working as intended.

Depending on the size of the project, a real estate developer is supposed to submit an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report or an Environment Management Plan (EMP), to get approval. A project with built-up area of 20,000 sq m or more needs to get an Environment Clearance (EC) , along with other permissions from the BBMP, BWSSB, etc. The State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA) is the agency responsible for giving EC to projects in Bengaluru.

Read More: Not just Lalbagh, your small neighbourhood park too can protect Bengaluru’s biodiversity

Vidhi Legal and BIC, in collaboration with Citizen Matters, is organising a webinar which tries to bring out the framework of EIA processes in Bengaluru, how these processes work, and why they have not been effective. (Citizen Matters had recently reported on the standard copy-pasting of information in forms that developers submit as part of EIA process.) And given this background, what impact would the Centre’s proposed changes to the EIA notification entail?

EIA Webinar poster

Read more: Unchecked tree loss is wiping out the Slender Loris from Bengaluru

Event details:

Event title: Green or gone? Development projects and their impact on environment
Date: February 11, 2022
Time: 6 pm (The webinar will be followed by a brief Q&A session open to participants.)
Register here: https://bit.ly/Green-or-Gone

Speakers:

  • Dr K C Jayaramu: Ex-Chairman, State Environmental Impact Assessment Authority, Govt. of India
  • Ulka Kelkar: Director of the Climate program, World Resources Institute India.
  • Mohan S Rao: Environmental Design and Landscape Architecture professional
  • Bhanu Sridharan : Independent journalist
  • Moderated by Meera K, Co-founder of Citizen Matters

Also read:

Sections:

About News Desk

The News Desk at Citizen Matters puts out Press Releases, notifications and curated information useful to the urban reader.
Read more by News Desk

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Similar Story

முதல்வர் சீக்கிரம் அடிக்கல் நாட்ட வேண்டும் என்பதற்காக அறிவியல்  ஆய்வுகளைப் புறந்தள்ளுவதா?

by January 9, 2026 Environment
CRZ clearance has been granted for a new drinking water reservoir in the naturally formed coastal salt marshes in Chengalpattu near Chennai.

செங்கல்பட்டு மாவட்டம், திருப்போரூர் மற்றும் திருக்கழுக்குன்றம் வட்டங்களுக்குட்பட்ட வருவாய் கிராமங்களில், இயற்கையாக அமைந்துள்ள கழுவேலி, உப்பங்கழி நீர்நிலையில், புதிய குடிநீர் நீர்த்தேக்கம் அமைக்க CRZ அனுமதி வழங்கியுள்ளது மாநில கடற்கரை ஒழுங்குமுறை மண்டல ஆணையம். இத்திட்டத்தின் முதல் கட்டத்தில் நெம்மேலி, கிருஷ்ணகாரனை, தண்டலம், பட்டிபுலம், திருப்போரூர், மாமல்லபுரம், சலுவான்குப்பம், பையனூர் ஆகிய வருவாய் கிராமங்களுக்குட்பட்ட 4375 ஏக்கர் பரப்பளவில் வருவாய்த்துறை, நீர்வளத்துறைக்குச் சொந்தமான இடங்களில் நீர்த்தேக்கம் அமைக்கத் திட்டமிடப்பட்டுள்ளது. 1.655TMC கொள்ளளவு கொண்ட இந்நீர்த்தேக்கம் மேற்கூறிய கிராமங்களைச் சேர்ந்த 50 ஆயிரத்துக்கும் மேற்பட்ட மக்களின் குடிநீர்த் தேவையைப் பூர்த்தி செய்யும் எனவும் அருகாமை கிராமங்களின் வெள்ள பாதிப்பைக் குறைக்கும் எனவும் அரசுத் தரப்பில் கூறப்படுகிறது. Map showing components of the Kovalam reservoir. Pic courtesy: Tamil Nadu Water Resources Department. இத்திட்டத்திற்கான விண்ணப்பத்தை 17.11.2025 அன்று  தொழில் நுட்ப  வல்லுநர் குழு பரிசீலித்தது. 20.11.2025 அன்று  மாநில கடற்கரை  மண்டல ஆணையம் விண்ணப்பத்தைை பரிசீலித்து CRZ அனுமதிக்கு பரிந்துரைக்கிறது.…

Continue reading

Similar Story

Buyers and sellers in Koyambedu Market face health risks from winter air pollution

by January 8, 2026 Environment
IIT-M study records winter PM2.5 spike in Koyambedu market; stakeholders flag vehicular emissions and the need for hyperlocal data.

As sweater weather arrives, winter brings purple December flowers, fresh Ooty carrots with slivers of roots, and crisp Kashmiri apples to Chennai’s Koyambedu Wholesale Market Complex (KWMC). Much before dawn, workers unload crates of seasonal produce, and retailers vie for the best prices at Asia’s biggest market place for perishable goods. For the last 15 years, Murugan*, a parking personnel at the flower market's gate, has witnessed the coming and going of seasons, flowers, customers, and trucks. Most of all, he has seen the cityscape change with the addition of flyovers, bridges, cars, and metro construction. This December, a combination…

Continue reading