Bangalore: Crumbling Infrastructure, Climate Change Add to Karnataka's Woes
Bangalore, June 6 (IANS) Be it environmental, political or infrastructural, Karnataka is facing mounting challenges.
Besides weathering political instability, two reports - one by a group of experts on climate change and the other by an industry chamber on Bangalore's woes - show that the state has a tough task on hand.
The temperature in most parts of Karnataka will increase by 1.8 to 2.2 degrees Celsius by 2030, monsoon rains will be less by 12.5 percent by 2035 and 38 percent of the state's 4.2 million sq km forest area could disappear due to changes in the climate, the first report forecast.
"Bangalore may lose its crown of India's Tech Eden to Gurgaon and Noida in the national capital region," the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham) warned.
The two reports came within four days of each other even as the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and opposition parties were locked in a bitter political battle.
What Karnataka stares at in another 20 years in climate matters if remedial action is not taken was detailed by the Bangalore Climate Change Initiative-Karnataka (BCCI-K) headed by former minister B. K. Chandrashekar of the Congress.
The BCCI-K was set up in October last year to study the impact of climate changes on natural resources and has experts from various Bangalore-based institutions, including the Indian Institute of Science.
The group submitted its report to the government June 2.
Assocham said on May 30 that "Bangalore is losing its sheen due to crumbling infrastructure, compelling many companies to head towards more convenient and industrial-friendly centres."
The chamber said its assessment was based on interaction with around 800 top executives of Indian and multinational companies in Bangalore.
"Roads choked with vehicles, frequent power outages, erratic water supply and poor sanitation are tough problems on account of which Bangalore is losing its lustre to rapidly-developing Gurgaon and Noida," the chamber said.
Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa is, however, confident that Bangalore will not lose the crown.
"I have not seen the full report but will soon hold a meeting with leaders of industry to solve the problems," he said in reacting to the Assocham assessment.
However, it might be a case of easier said than done for the BJP's first chief minister in southern India as he has just survived a third attempt to unseat him in three years of his rule.
In the coming weeks Yeddyurappa may have to devote more time to politics than policies.
The high court is to decide whether to allow a lower court in Bangalore to proceed with five complaints of corruption and illegal land deals against him.
He will also have a hot potato on hand when state Lokayukta (omudsman) N. Santosh Hegde presents an "explosive" report on illegal mining in the state before August. Hegde's five-year term ends in August.
Opinion is divided over the impact of frequent political uncertainty in the state on its economy and image.
N.S. Srinivasa Murthy, president of the Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce and Industry, felt that the political developments have not had any adverse impact on the economic growth or investor confidence.
"I would like to inform you that while the country had witnessed a 26 percent decline in FDI (foreign direct investment) during 2010-11, Karnataka had a 26 percent higher inflow of FDI in 2010-11 (from $4.852 billion in 2009-10 to $6.133 billion in 2010-11)," he told IANS.
"This clearly indicates that the investment situation is still not vitiated by the so called political situation," he said.
However, Harish Bijoor, brand expert who runs a consultancy firm, asserted that the state's image has been dented.
"The state's image has taken a beating. Karnataka today is known for its prolonged political 'nataka' (drama)," he said.
"In terms of governance, files move slow and decisions get taken slower still. This is a bad investment climate," Bijoor said.