Exploring the agency of policy through ecological urbanism for climate action: water and sanitation systems of Bengaluru

ABSTRACT The cities of the world have been the exploiters of resources and the largest generators of waste. This paper explores the concept of Ecological Urbanism as a framework to convert cities from being waste generators to resource producers. The example of the wastewater from Bengaluru going into the lakes of Kolar is studied. The treated wastewater of the city reaches Kolar to fill its lakes, which subsequently recharges the groundwater . One city’s waste becomes another’s resource in this process. The case of Kolar-Bengaluru is studied while asking critical questions of urban-rural planning with ecology as a main premise.