Bangalore
A Look into the Environment of
India's Tech City
Garden City to Garbage City?
When you look into a city like Bangalore, the history is overwhelming. Beginning to understand a city that had human inhabitants in 890 A.D. is looking at over 1,000 years of development. This reaches far beyond initial research and delves into a realm of ancient text and speculation.
What is known; Bangalore has been green for a long time. A Sultan, Hyder Ali, laid the groundwork for the Lalbaugh Botanical gardens that continue to stand today. A 17th century gift to his little sister, Lal Bi, it has simply grown through the ages.
A collection of plants from Mumbai to then-Persia, it can be used as a symbolism for the desire to make Bangalore a green haven.
Today, as you walk the streets, large trees push up the pavement. Walls built around large limbs, houses dive to avoid a
tree that has been there long before construction began.
It seems as if Bangalore itself was built around greenery. It once proudly held the title “The Garden State of India” due to its tree count and shaded avenues. Flowering trees were planted with the design that there would always be a bloom in sight; a constant stream of whites, reds, and purples that lined the streets.
In the rapid gentrification, something has to give. When the expansion of the streets occurred as recently as June 2017, hundreds of trees were felled. The complaints battled between widening the roads to alleviate traffic and keeping the trees that lined both sides of the narrow city roads. Fundraising tried to relocate these giant beings, but only 3 of them were successfully moved due to the high funding. This caused an outrage, and a diplomatic move to transplant more of the trees instead of cutting them down.
Such a large percentage of trees were removed, that it was no longer considered the Garden State of India. Seemingly a joke, many Bangaloreans speak of the movement from Garden State to Garbage State.
Another issue present in the city is invasive species. There are two main examples that can be found in every park. The eucalyptus tree and bouganvilla.
The eucalyptus tree is originally from Australia.
Brought over for its rapid growth in the 1980’s, it was a quick solution to supply the growing need for firewood and paper products. There was one side effect people didn’t expect: the depletion of the water table. Within twenty years, the water table dropped from a mean of 177 meters to 260 meters within the plantations measured by the Karnataka Forest Department. This became alarming, and early in 2017, was enough evidence to support a ban on planting eucalyptus. The question remains, is a ban good enough? Every lake is surrounded by a halo of these water-thirsty foreigners, and Nandi Hills is nothing but.
As the water table drops, native plants are unable to reach far enough into the soil to supply their needs. Forests convert from native shrubs to mono cultured eucalyptus. This plague of sweet-smelling trees is only spreading, and without some true effort into halting their progress, it does not bode well for the water table nor biodiversity.
The bouganvilla, or the paper flower, is a festive plant commonly in pink, purples, and reds.
It can be found in almost every park and backyard, with colorful leaves that surround small, white flowers. Originally from South America, the plant was taken home by explorers to Spain. The low maintenance quickly made it a gardener’s favorite, as it swept across the globe. It settled in Bangalore and thrived beyond belief. Less detrimental than the eucalyptus, these plants may cause skin irritation and allergy flare ups. Their biggest offense is being close to uncontrollable.
Another thing to consider is the flower market. Sanskrit religions are highly founded in rituals of donation, celebration, and offerings. These can come in many forms; milk spilled onto an alter, incense burnt by an idol, or most commonly, flowers. Wreaths and wreaths of them. Sold by the string and found in the thousands, there is one question at hand: where do all of these flowers come from?
while a true testament to the color and vibrancy of the city, the ceremonious flowers end up as a waste. Collected from the temples by the bagful, left in the streets, piled high after their moment of use is over. It is something to consider when looking at the flora of Bangalore, but it in itself is a layered issue of religion, supply, and demand.
The one thing that can be said for Bangalore’s flora; it is global.
A hub for imported species, everything from the African Tulip to the Brazilian Chestnut can be found growing vivaciously along the roads. When strolling through the botanist's blogs of Bangalore, you will notice very few names that originate from India. Fewer still can be called natives to the region. Just like the millions of people who have moved to Bangalore for a better life, the flora is nothing but a homage for travelers. Setting up a home like the Banyan trees that drop roots from its branches and claims any soil as a new colony. Perhaps we’ve gone too far to question what the native state of Bangalore was before Hyder Ali brought in his garden-of-the-world. We can certainly question where the future is going. My hope is less eucalyptus.
