Bengaluru needs at least 33% green cover and nearly 10 crore trees to remain liveable, Karnataka Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre said, on Wednesday, April 28, warning that unchecked urban growth and rising vehicle density could otherwise turn the city into a “gas chamber”.
Speaking at a media workshop on climate and urban heat, Eshwar said the city’s rapid expansion, shrinking green cover and increasing traffic congestion were intensifying heat stress and placing both residents and urban systems under strain. Government officials, scientists and frontline workers at the event said Bengaluru’s trees, lakes and open spaces had failed to keep pace with its growth, leaving neighbourhoods hotter and outdoor workers more vulnerable.
Addressing the workshop, Eshwar outlined the Karnataka State Action Plan on Climate Change, which aims to coordinate mitigation efforts across departments. He said a city of 1.40 crore residents needs at least 33% green cover and roughly 10 crore trees to remain healthy.
According to a report by Deccan Herald, Bengaluru’s green cover has declined sharply over the past few decades, dropping from 78 percent to just 6 percent.
“If Bengaluru continues this kind of growth and vehicle density, it will be imperative to increase the green cover to prevent it from becoming a ‘gas chamber’,” he said.
To achieve this, Eshwar said the state was accelerating efforts to reclaim forest land. He said 250 acres valued at nearly Rs 10,000 crore had already been restored in Kadugodi and Turahalli. He also highlighted the legal battle before the Supreme Court to recover 280 acres of the Peenya plantation, which had previously been held by Hindustan Machine Tools (HMT) for industrial use.
The government is also working to reclaim 444 acres of forest land in Jarakabande from the Indian Air Force after the cancellation of a 2017 land grant. In Yelahanka’s Gantiganahalli, Eshwar directed the Air Force to either return 159 acres of reserved forest land used for the international air show or provide alternative land, as the area remains legally classified as forest.
He also announced a 153-acre biological park in Madappanahalli, which he said would become Bengaluru’s largest natural space after Lalbagh and Cubbon Park. Calling it an “achievement of the century,” he said the park would significantly strengthen the city’s green infrastructure.
On afforestation efforts, Eshwar said around 11 crore saplings had been planted across Karnataka in the last three years and that he had ordered a survey of their survival rates to be published on the department’s website. He also raised concerns over high-rise buildings encroaching on lake beds and directed that saplings be planted along highways and medians to strengthen Bengaluru’s urban canopy.
He added that the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) had been commissioned to study the impact of secondary treated water on crops and public health. Rising temperatures, he said, were closely tied to traffic congestion and carbon emissions.
MS Divakara, Director of the Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre, said the danger of extreme heat was not only the peak temperature but how long it lasted. “As the duration of maximum temperature increases, the minimum temperature will have a 2-3°C increase,” he said, linking the trend to “Super El Niño” conditions that now keep temperatures elevated for seven or more hours a day.
Apekshita Varshney, founder of HeatWatch, said high humidity made heat more dangerous by reducing the body’s ability to cool itself. She warned that this could lead to severe health problems, including chronic kidney distress. “It’s a combination of temperature plus humidity that together contributes to heat stress,” she said, adding that 86% of workers surveyed by her organisation reported a decline in productivity because of these conditions.
To address these challenges on the ground, the city is moving toward “hyperlocal” governance through the development of Ward Climate Action Plans. Nithya J, Executive Engineer at the Climate Action Cell of the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA), explained that a city-wide approach is often too broad for neighbourhood-specific needs.
“It was very important for us to scale down... we started dividing our larger climate action plan for the city into ward levels,” she noted, detailing proposals for cooling centres and “blue-green infrastructure” in vulnerable areas like Bijinapura and Jakkur.
The workshop ended with testimonies from outdoor workers, who said rising heat was a daily struggle worsened by the lack of basic facilities such as water, shade and rest spaces.
Mansoor, a waste worker, highlighted the lack of basic infrastructure for the city's sanitation workers. “We have a washroom problem... The reason I keep reiterating this is because without accessible washrooms we can’t drink water either," he stated, noting that government facilities are often too distant to be accessible during an outdoor shift.
Lingaraj, a gig worker, echoed these concerns, describing the pressure exerted by platform algorithms that discourage taking necessary breaks. “In this heat... we are under pressure,” he said, noting that even a short pause to find relief from the sun can negatively impact a worker’s rating and income.
This article was written by a student interning with TNM.