The urban built environment in the large cities of India serves as a transformative force, bringing about significant alterations in the biophysical character of the landscape. As these urban centers experience rapid growth and development, the intricate interplay between human activities and the natural environment becomes increasingly pronounced. The sprawling infrastructure, high-rise buildings, transportation networks, and other urban elements reshape the physical, ecological, and aesthetic dimensions of the land. This evolution not only impacts the immediate surroundings but also extends its influence on the broader ecosystem, affecting factors such as air and water quality, biodiversity, and overall sustainability. Examining the dynamic relationship between the urban built environment and the biophysical landscape is crucial for understanding the multifaceted consequences of urbanization on the natural world in the context of India’s bustling cities.
Answer
The Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA)said that India is the second-largest urban system in the world and 11% of the total global urban population lives in Indian cities. It changes the biophysical character of the landscape in different ways.
- Plantation –
● CONOCARPUS TREE – invasive mangrove species in regions – Gujarat and Telangana hurts human health -Trees flower in winter – spread pollen, causing – cold, cough, asthma, and allergy.
● IMPACT ON ENVI -ROOTS GO DEEP, and develop extensively, damaging telecommunication lines and freshwater systems. - Deforestation – urbanization has increased deforestation so, urban forestry is needed
● Example – Maharashtra forest department converted barren hill into forest – WARJE
URBAN FOREST – PUNE. - Hill region development – anthropogenic factors led to disaster in Himachal Pradesh
● Within 15 days of monsoon onset, 41 landslips,29 flash floods, and 1 cloud burst in hp.
● causes – man-made:-land use change,-deforestation- erosion, slope destabilization, building along river beds in floodplains, digging slopes for making highways, roads, dams. - Urban climate change–
Bhubaneswar, Cuttack experience cooler days, warmer nights
The School of Earth Ocean and Climate Sciences at IIT Bhubaneswar has found that increased urbanization of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack has led to increased land surface temperature in the last 20 years (2001-2020). While there has been an increase in relatively cooler regions over Bhubaneswar and Cuttack during the daytime, reverse during the night.
- Encroachment in floodplains – recently the Yamuna River in Delhi flooded the nearby streets. CWC said water released from the Hathnikund barrage took less time to reach Delhi. “Encroachment of the floodplains may have an incremental effect.
- Concretization – The concretization of urban areas, paired with a decrease in open, green spaces turns cities into heat sinks. This can form convective clouds if sufficient moisture is available, leading to unstable weather increased lightning, and flash floods – for example, Kerala floods in 2018.
- Biodiversity change – Nests of Crows, pigeons, sparrows, etc. are usually found in buildings’ balconies and at heights of skyscrapers, etc. Animals such as dogs and cats became part of usual urban life. Habitat loss is extensive in the region, over 75% of the original Himalayan habitat has been destroyed or degraded – WWF.
Democratization of Sustainable Development is needed in India . The prevailing preference for an “economic” view of city development has to be replaced by a sustainable one, which includes ecological and social considerations. The ‘Sustainable Cities India program’ intends to enable cities to decarbonize systematically and sustainably which will reduce emissions and deliver resilient and equitable urban ecosystems.
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