Mangalore to Get Hotter This Summer

12 October 2009

The Mangalore City Corporation’s (MCC) concretization project has its advantages as well as disadvantages. While these tough concrete roads can withstand the heavy rainfall witnessed by the coastal town and provide excellent all-weather roads for motorists, they can also raise the city’s heat by 2 degrees centigrade. 

Thinkers, academicians, environmentalists, as well as common people have observed that the concrete roads will noticeably raise the city’s heat level. Moreover, the MCC is allowing the felling of large trees in the cities in spite of severe opposition from the forest department. To make things worse, a number of rain water drains have been blocked while constructing these roads; so Mangalore can expect artificial floods during the next rains. 

Mr. Vijay Kumar, the deputy conservator of forest in Mangalore, has written to the MCC, pointing out that certain pockets in urban areas provided space for afforestation. Mr. Kumar said that he will visit Balmatta in order to lead a sapling plantation drive. The forest department has already created a nursery of local as well as endemic plants. Mr. Kumar pointed out that the latest urban afforestation policy of the government provided ample opportunities for the planting of trees in cities. 

The total cost concretizing 12 roads is estimated to be Rs. 46.88 crores. About 50 percent of the project has been completed, and new roads are being identified for concretization.