BENGALURU: A local citizen group, Bengaluru Town Hall, has approached the Principal Secretary of the Urban Development Department (UDD) to voice their opposition against proposed amendments to buffer zone laws that could significantly diminish these areas.
In their memorandum, the civic organization outlined serious concerns regarding the potential threats the new regulations pose to ecology, water security, biodiversity, food security, the environment, and the well-being of residents.
Members of the group caution that the proposed bill represents a substantial threat to Bengaluru’s remaining green spaces, might lead to increased pollution in the city’s lakes, could endanger biodiversity, amplify the impacts of climate change, and worsen the groundwater crisis.
On September 15, Karnataka Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot returned the Karnataka Tank Conservation and Development Authority Amendment Bill 2025 (KTCDA Amendment Bill 2025) to the state government.
Through this Bill, the State Government plans to amend Section 12 of the KTCDA Act, 2014, to introduce area-specific buffer zones for water bodies and to allow the construction of certain public utility structures—such as roads, bridges, electrical lines, water supply lines, underground drainage lines, pump houses, and sewage treatment facilities—with prior approval from the authority.
The association labeled the bill as unscientific, unsustainable, and unacceptable, stating, “If passed, Bengaluru will become a concrete desert, uninhabitable for its residents. We urge the State Government to withdraw the notification and consider expanding the Rajakaluve buffer zone instead of reducing it, as current buffer zones fall short of the necessary levels for healthy water bodies.”
International research suggests that buffer zones of around 100 to 300 meters or more are essential for maintaining ecosystem integrity, biodiversity, flood control, and water quality.
Local civic activists and environmentalists argue that the KTCDA Amendment Bill 2025 breaches constitutional and environmental laws. They assert that the amendment favors real estate interests, was drafted without expert input, and undermines overall water security and lake ecosystems.
“The government’s announcement of road projects within the Rajakaluve buffer zones is a misguided effort that threatens to destroy the remaining wetland ecosystems in Bengaluru,” stated members of Bengaluru Town Hall.
