This article by Collaborative for the Advancement of the Study of Urbanism through Mixed Media (CASUMM) presents the case of Bellandur Tank in Bangalore city and highlights how rapid unplanned urbanisation has led to the destruction of one of the biggest water bodies in Bangalore Urban district.
The tank provided sustenance for people who lived in the areas surrounding it and provided water for irrigation, household purposes such as drinking, washing and cleaning, besides providing ample supply of fish. The tank was thus an integral part of the society and had a relationship with the communities residing around the tank.
However, the gradual process of industrialisation led to uncontrolled growth of the city, rise in the number of constructions, building of new roads that not only destroyed the traditional water channels that connected tanks from different parts of the city, but also led to dumping of sewage in the tank that polluted its waters and also destroyed its ecosystem.
The articles argues that there is a need to revert to community based management systems for resources, where people have a say in how resources are managed, rather than relying on disconnected bureaucratic systems which tend to overlook the importance of restoring and preserving the natural resources as can be seen in the case of Bellandur Tank in Bangalore.