Karnataka Governor Returns Lake Buffer Zone Bill for Clarification

Bengaluru, Sep 16 (PTI) Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot has sent back the bill aimed at reducing the buffer zones around the state's lakes or tanks to the government, asking for further clarification. The Karnataka Tank Conservation and Development Authority (Amendment) Bill, recently passed by both houses of the state legislature, seeks to adjust the buffer zone areas based on the water bodies' sizes.

The Governor, citing objections raised with his office regarding the bill, has deemed it necessary to seek additional clarifications from the state government on the concerns presented and to assess whether the amendment could have adverse consequences. "Hence, return the file to the state government to re-submit the file along with proper clarifications in this regard," reads the communication from the Governor's office to the government.

This bill aims to introduce size-specific buffer zones for lakes and permits certain public utility constructions like roads, bridges, electrical lines, water supply lines, underground drainage lines, pump houses, sewage treatment plants, and other related works, subject to prior approval from the Authority.

Specifically, the bill proposes no buffer zones for lakes up to 0.5 gunta, a 3-meter buffer for lakes measuring up to one acre, 6 meters for lakes sized between 1-10 acres, 12 meters for those between 10-25 acres, 24 meters for those between 25-100 acres, and a 30-meter buffer for lakes over 100 acres. Currently, all lakes have a uniform 30-meter buffer zone prohibiting any construction activities.

The Governor noted opposition from the Bengaluru Town Hall Association, which has urged him not to assent to the bill, arguing that expert opinions suggest even the current 30-meter buffer is insufficient and needs to be increased to nearly 300 meters to maintain ecosystem balance. They emphasize that the buffer should be expanded rather than reduced.

The association also points out that the state government has neither sought expert committee advice nor public opinion on the amendment's implications. They argue that this action breaches constitutional law and established legal principles, endangering citizens' rights to water security and a healthy environment.

The Governor highlighted that the association submitted a detailed memorandum outlining constitutional violations, conflicts with central laws and guidelines, and the negative impact on water security issues due to this legislation.

(Only the headline of this report may have been reworked by Editorji; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)