Managerial, clientelist or populist? Lake governance in the Indian city of Bangalore

Abstract

Lakes in the Indian city of Bangalore face conservation challenges. In order to analyse these conservation challenges, the article uses DiGaetano and Strom’s framework on urban governance to identify and analyse the different modes of lake governance which are at play within the city. Using data from semi-structured interviews and secondary research, this research argues that three modes of governance (managerial, clientelist and populist) characterize the city’s lake system. Conflict amongst these modes of governance, which often act at cross-purposes to each other, may be one of the reasons why Bangalore has been unable to protect its lakes.