Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot has returned the controversial Karnataka Tank Conservation & Development Authority (Amendment) Bill, demanding clarity on potential environmental damage before approval.
In a significant development, Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot has returned the Karnataka Tank Conservation & Development Authority (Amendment) Bill to the state government, raising questions about its ecological impact. The Bill, which was passed in the state legislature last month, proposes to drastically revise lake buffer zones based on the size of water bodies, a move that has triggered strong opposition from environmentalists, civic groups, and the opposition BJP.
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Under the proposed amendment, lakes as small as 0.5 gunta (about 544 sq ft) would have no buffer zone at all. The buffer would be just 3 metres for lakes up to one acre, gradually increasing to a maximum of 30 metres for lakes over 100 acres. Currently, a uniform 30-metre buffer zone applies to all lakes regardless of size. The government has argued that the change is crucial to facilitate essential infrastructure projects, including roads, bridges, power lines, and sewage treatment plants.
However, the Governor’s decision to send the Bill back signals that the ecological stakes are too high to be rushed. In his communication, Governor Gehlot noted that his office had received several objections, including a detailed representation from the Bengaluru Town Hall Association, which called the Bill a “threat to Bengaluru’s already fragile ecosystem.” The association argued that the present buffer of 30 metres is itself inadequate, citing expert studies that recommend nearly 300 metres to ensure flood prevention, groundwater recharge, and biodiversity conservation.
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Political reactions were swift. BJP MLA Suresh Kumar welcomed the Governor’s move, stating, “This Bill would kill the environment. The Congress government is supporting the real estate mafia. I asked for a joint House committee.” Senior BJP leader R Ashoka went further, calling the Bill “real estate gangsterism” and warning it could put Bengaluru at risk of future floods and unchecked construction.
The state government, however, stood by its proposal. Ministers insisted that every project would still undergo environmental scrutiny and that the amendment merely provides flexibility to enable infrastructure expansion in a city already grappling with space constraints.
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