The haphazard way in which the city is turning into a concrete jungle makes it vulnerable to severe “ecological stress” in near future, says a Lucknow University survey based on satellite data.
The survey by the university’s Geology department says lack of planning and focus exposes the city to civic problems like water-logging, and eats into the authorities’ dreams to make it at par with the best of metropolitan India.
According to members of the study team, the satellite survey shows development agencies are making inappropriate planning; in their pursuit for a vertical and horizontal growth, they are not taking into consideration the land-suitability factor.
If this goes on, the survey team says, even plush residential colonies would remain vulnerable to water-logging, damage of houses due to accumulated humidity and such civic problems.
“It seems the agencies responsible for developing the city are lost in the construction spree,” said Dr Vibhuti Rai, a faculty with Centre of Advanced Study in the university’s Geology department. “Construction projects are being taken up without considering land-use suitability.
“The satellite data we possess points out that development taking place would not be suitable for even colonies like Aliganj, Gomti Nagar, Gomti Nagar Extension and Qaiserbagh. In most of these colonies, construction is going on in even low-lying areas.”
This, Rai said, would give rise to water-logging and other associated problems.
The department’s study has also listed several colonies in Hazratganj, New Hyderabad, Chowk and nearby areas as likely to face “ecological stress” in near future. “We analysed the satellite data with available land records and studied how demographic growth has taken place in these areas,” Rai said. “As per our findings, removal of trees and water bodies to make way for projects would put these colonies under severe ecological stress.
“These colonies would grapple with issues like lack of clean air and water.”
Not surprisingly, perhaps, the department reports a major decline in the city’s green cover, though it is yet to gather all information from the satellite survey. “We have to ascertain the green cover lost but the satellite data clearly shows that natural resources and ecological habitat like forest areas of Musaabagh, Kukrail and Cantonment have already shrunk considerably,” Rai said.
This, obviously, puts enormous environmental stress on surroundings areas and human habitat.
Geologists at the university said now that Lucknow is emerging as a major development centre, such satellite survey is necessary to assess the city’s demographic growth.