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Overall area of water bodies along four key lakes in Ahmedabad has reduced by 46%, says report, points out ‘lack of water sensitivity in statutory plans'
While there has been much talk over the status of redevelopment in their surrounding areas, the overall area of water bodies along four prominent lakes in Ahmedabad — Vastrapur, Memnagar, Thaltej and Sola — has reduced by almost 46%, according to a report by the Keshav Varma-led High-Level Committee (HLC) on Urban Planning under Urban Development and Urban Housing Department, government of Gujarat, released by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday.
Analysing the changes in lake land cover following the Lake Redevelopment and Interlinking of Lakes (LRIL) project, the report reveals that the redevelopment, in most cases, has happened by reclamation of lake land, effectively reducing the overall water spread of the lake. 'Lakes like Thaltej and Sola are still under threat due to encroachment because of lack of interventions,' the report added.
Pointing out that often, lake redevelopment projects proposed with the goal of conserving them 'resulted in dried-up lakes', the report stressed that this was largely because of the vision of redeveloping the waterbody (mostly for placemaking) while ignoring its catchment, i.e., the streams that carry water to the lake and other green and grey infrastructure around the lakes.
The section on water-sensitive urban planning by Professor Mona Iyer, CEPT University, with inputs from Prakash Datta, officer on special duty (OSD), Urban Development and Urban Housing Department; D P Desai, Chief Executive Authority of Ahmedabad Urban Development Authority (AUDA); and Harpal Dave, Convenor, HLC Gujarat, highlighted, '47 per cent of new development in Ahmedabad is sited on high and very high recharge potential zone' as 'built up area in Ahmedabad increased by 46 per cent in the 0-50 km region between 2000 and 2015'.
Urban natural water systems—such as rivers, wetlands, ponds, and groundwater—offer a range of essential ecosystem services that contribute to the health and well-being of urban environments.
'83 per cent of urban water bodies in Gujarat are being used for groundwater recharge (NIUA, 2023). In the census of water bodies, 54,069 water bodies have been enumerated, out of which 98.3% (53,156) are in rural areas and the remaining 1.7% (913) are in urban areas. Out of these urban water bodies, 800 are natural and 113 are human-made. (MoJS, 2023),' states the first-of-its-kind exercise of census of water bodies, conducted in 2018-19 and published in 2023.
Highlighting the role of and challenges faced by urban water systems and their planning, the report has listed the case study of Vastrapur lake and smaller lakes around it. A comparative analysis of aerial imagery from 2000, the proposed Town planning scheme (TPS) Bodakdev 1B, and aerial imagery from 2020 of Vastrapur lake reveals a declining trend in blue cover, highlighting the rapid loss of water bodies due to unregulated urban development.
'In the 2000 aerial image, the lake is prominently visible. However, in TPS Bodakdev 1B, the lake was appropriated, its land use reclassified, and a proposal for Socially and Economically Weaker Sections (SEWS) housing was introduced. Further analysis of the 2020 aerial imagery shows that a haat (marketplace) had been constructed on the site, completely replacing the lake,' the report stated.
'This case clearly demonstrates how statutory plans often lack water sensitivity, facilitating the conversion of water bodies into developable land and ultimately leading to their disappearance. The water bodies vanished as they were not recognised in the statutory plan. Champal talavadi labelled as a water body in the TP scheme. Dhoyu Talaavdi labelled as a neighbourhood centre. Both the erstwhile water bodies are now filled and developed as a land parcel,' it added.
Terming the LRIL, which started in 2003, as a 'good initiative with mixed impacts', the report pointed out that it was a result of four triggers — climate extremes, groundwater depletion, lake encroachment, and civic activism and judicial intervention.
Mapping of lakes is among the foremost steps towards their conservation; it is a quintessential element of their identification, the report stated. Several lakes have been lost due to oversight in notifying them, the report has pointed out.
What should be taken care of during redevelopment, according to the report:
-Mapping of the streams should be an integral part of the plan-making process.
-Conservation of streams will help ensure water in the lakes and prevent urban flooding.
-Statutory plans should recognise the streams that need to be conserved and make relevant proposals.
-The extent of conservation measures should be determined by the stream order.
-Authorities and developers should ensure that the flow of the streams is not restricted by development. Any linear, public infrastructure cutting across water channels should be retrofitted to allow unhindered passage of water. For example, stretches of roads cutting across the streams should be provided with culverts to allow unhindered flow of water.
– (Appointment of) An officer in charge (catchment management authority/officer) or creation of task force/ water management services department, directly reporting to the Municipal Commissioner and District Collector. Or, specially created water systems cells for their respective administrative jurisdiction that would be responsible for periodic survey and record verification of demarcated water bodies.
-Any re-engineering of the demarcated streams or lakes should be done with the permission of the officer-in-charge.
-All water bodies to be given high priority and attention. A state-level empowered committee chaired by the Principal Secretary (Urban Development) should take decisions in case of any disputes in the demarcated water bodies. The committee should include urban planners, environment engineers, hydrologists, geologists, and other invited subject experts as per context-specific requirements.
