BENGALURU: Irrigation Minister on Wednesday NS Boseraju expressed that the conservation of lakes is the priority of the state government.
Responding to a debate in the Council on the Karnataka Tank Conservation and Development Authority (KTDCA) Amendment Bill, 2025, which proposes reducing the buffer zone around lakes, the minister said there are 41,849 lakes in the state. The survey work of 35,985 of them has been completed, and the survey of 5,687 lakes is pending. Out of the 13,644 encroached lakes, encroachment has been cleared from 7,987 lakes, while encroachment of 5,687 lakes needs to be cleared. He explained that DCs hold meetings at the district level on a monthly basis and expedite the clearance work.
In the present situation, as per the NGT order, there is no 30-metre buffer zone in Bengaluru’s lakes. The purpose of the amendment bill is to protect the water bodies and develop infrastructure. Therefore, he requested that the bill be passed.
Opposing the amendment, Leader of the Opposition in the Council Chalavadi Narayanaswamy said that due to the amendment to the Lake Conservation Act, the size of the buffer zone will reduce, irreversibly damaging the lake habitat. With lakes and drains being encroached, rains in Bengaluru lead to roads and homes being flooded. It must be admitted that all governments have failed in the matter of clearing Rajakaluves, he said.
The report given by AT Ramaswamy, Laxman Rao, Yellappa Reddy, and Koliwada committee regarding lake protection needs to be studied. “... therefore, it should be given to the Joint House Committee,” he demanded.
BJP member CT Ravi raised doubts whether there is the real estate lobby at play behind the action of reducing the lake buffer zone. He also said the matter should be discussed in the Joint House Committee.