Urban Lake Juxtaposition: Pollution and Restoration

Urban Oases Under Threat: How Neglecting City Ecosystems Hurts the Most Vulnerable

Rhea Morgan in Climate & Environment June 2025 • 4 min read.

"A deep dive into how urban development impacts ecosystem services and the well-being of the urban poor in cities like Bangalore."

Cities are hubs of human activity, but they also rely on ecosystems to function. These ecosystems, often taken for granted, provide essential services such as cooling, air purification, and recreation. However, as cities grow, these natural spaces are increasingly under pressure. This is especially true in developing countries, where the urban poor depend heavily on these ecosystems for their livelihoods.

In many urban areas, the poor rely on urban commons which include any natural public spaces for essential resources like food, fuel, and water. The urban commons is crucial for cultural identity, tourism and overall physical and mental health. But urbanization is reducing access to these resources, leading to significant challenges for those who depend on them most.

This article examines the complex relationship between urban development, ecosystem services, and the well-being of the urban poor, using Bangalore, India, as a case study. It explores how changes in urban ecosystems affect the availability and use of essential resources and how these shifts impact the lives of vulnerable populations. This includes a look at how people are adapting to these changes and what these adaptations mean for their overall well-being.

Bangalore's Changing Lakes: A Story of Privatization, Pollution, and Potential Gentrification

Urban Lake Juxtaposition: Pollution and Restoration

Bangalore, once known as the Garden City, has experienced rapid urbanization in recent decades. This growth has had a profound impact on the city's lakes, which have historically been vital sources of water and livelihoods for the urban poor. Over time, these lakes have undergone significant changes, including privatization, pollution, and, more recently, restoration efforts that sometimes lead to gentrification.

Historically, Bangalore's lakes were surrounded by agricultural fields and grazing lands. These ecosystems provided a variety of services, including irrigation water, drinking water, laundry facilities, and fish. The lakes were managed cooperatively, with villagers working together to ensure the sustainable use of resources. Now a days with development on the rise, the surrounding lakes has changed to Industrial, commercial, and residential layouts.

Privatization followed by Conversion: Lakes are increasingly being privatized and converted into commercial properties, reducing public access.
Pollution followed by Degradation: Industrial and residential waste contaminates the water, making it unusable for drinking or household chores.
Restoration followed by Gentrification: Efforts to restore lakes often lead to the development of parks and recreational areas, which can increase property values and displace low-income communities.

These changes have resulted in a shift in the types of ecosystem services available and the ways in which they are used. Provisioning services, such as water and food, have declined, while cultural services, such as recreation and scenic beauty, have increased. This shift has disproportionately affected the urban poor, who have historically relied on these lakes for their survival. Residents are forced to adapt by finding new sources of income, accepting lower quality resources, or abandoning the use of certain resources altogether.

The Future of Urban Ecosystems: A Call for Inclusive Restoration

The study highlights the need for inclusive restoration efforts that consider the needs and perspectives of all stakeholders, particularly the urban poor. While restoration is essential for the long-term health of Bangalore's lakes, it is crucial to ensure that these efforts do not exacerbate existing inequalities. By including the voices of vulnerable communities in the planning and implementation of restoration projects, cities can create more equitable and sustainable urban environments.

About this Article -

This article was crafted using a human-AI hybrid and collaborative approach. AI assisted our team with initial drafting, research insights, identifying key questions, and image generation. Our human editors guided topic selection, defined the angle, structured the content, ensured factual accuracy and relevance, refined the tone, and conducted thorough editing to deliver helpful, high-quality information.See our About page for more information.

This article is based on research published under:

DOI-LINK: 10.5751/es-09168-220151, Alternate LINK

Title: Shifts In Ecosystem Services In Deprived Urban Areas: Understanding People&Amp;#8217;S Responses And Consequences For Well-Being

Subject: Ecology

Journal: Ecology and Society

Publisher: Resilience Alliance, Inc.

Authors: Marthe L. Derkzen, Harini Nagendra, Astrid J. A. Van Teeffelen, Anusha Purushotham, Peter H. Verburg

Published: 2017-01-01

Everything You Need To Know

What are urban commons and why are they important?

Urban commons are natural public spaces within cities that provide essential resources like food, fuel, and water. They are crucial for cultural identity, tourism, and the physical and mental health of urban residents, particularly the urban poor who often depend on them for their livelihoods. Access to the urban commons is being reduced due to urbanization, posing significant challenges to vulnerable populations.

How has rapid urbanization affected the lakes in Bangalore?

Rapid urbanization in Bangalore has profoundly impacted the city's lakes, which were historically vital sources of water and livelihoods. These lakes have undergone privatization, leading to reduced public access and conversion into commercial properties. Pollution from industrial and residential waste has contaminated the water, making it unusable. Additionally, restoration efforts have, in some cases, led to gentrification, displacing low-income communities.

What is the impact of privatization, pollution, and restoration on the ecosystem services provided by Bangalore's lakes?

Privatization of Bangalore's lakes reduces public access. Pollution degrades the water quality, making it unusable for drinking or household chores. While restoration can enhance cultural services like recreation, it can also lead to gentrification, displacing low-income communities. This shift has disproportionately affected the urban poor, who have historically relied on provisioning services from the lakes such as water and food.

What are the implications of the shift from provisioning to cultural ecosystem services in urban areas like Bangalore?

The shift from provisioning services (like water and food) to cultural services (like recreation) in Bangalore's lakes has significant implications, particularly for the urban poor. As lakes become more focused on recreation and scenic beauty through restoration efforts, the traditional uses of these lakes for essential resources decline. This forces vulnerable populations to find new, often less reliable or lower quality, sources of income and resources, exacerbating existing inequalities and impacting their overall well-being. Inclusive restoration that considers the needs of all stakeholders can address this imbalance.

What does inclusive restoration mean, and why is it essential for the future of urban ecosystems?

Inclusive restoration refers to restoration efforts that actively consider the needs and perspectives of all stakeholders, especially vulnerable communities like the urban poor. It's essential because it ensures that restoration projects do not exacerbate existing inequalities. By including the voices of these communities in the planning and implementation of restoration, cities can create more equitable and sustainable urban environments. This approach helps balance the provisioning and cultural ecosystem services and protects the livelihoods and well-being of those who depend most on these resources, promoting fair access and benefits.