Following heavy showers that paralysed several parts of the city recently, environmentalists have warned policymakers that Lucknow ’s severe waterlogging is a man-made (self-inflicted) crisis.
“Aggressive urban development, particularly expanding towards the south-east direction along Sultanpur road, has virtually left no vacant plots or permeable green spaces to absorb rainwater. A major issue is that heavy road dust mixed with vehicular emissions, metals, oil, and grease spillage churns into a thick, toxic slurry during heavy rainfall. To prevent widespread flooding during continuous heavy rainfall, Ajay Arya, head of geology department at Lucknow University , underscored that policymakers and nodal agencies must urgently shift towards scientifically backed urban planning. “There is a need to establish an interdisciplinary advisory committee comprising geologists and environmentalists to oversee urban expansion.
Authorities must utilise high-resolution satellite data to continuously monitor land use, protect remaining natural depressions, mandate permeable interlocking pavements to restore natural soil infiltration and enforce a minimum 15% green cover on urban plots and prioritise pre-monsoon desilting to preserve the city’s natural drainage arteries,”Ajay Arya said.
This polluted runoff further clogs drainage pathways, exacerbating waterlogging while increasing environmental toxicity,” he said.
