Bengaluru: BBMP warns NGOs against illegal fundraising for lake projects amid ongoing court stay

The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has issued a strong advisory to NGOs and private groups allegedly collecting public funds for lake development and revival projects, declaring such fundraising efforts unlawful due to an active court stay.

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According to BBMP officials, certain private associations, particularly in the Bengaluru South parliamentary region have been observed displaying UPI QR codes seeking donations for lake-related work. In one instance, a group reportedly even appointed private guards who obstructed BBMP engineers during an inspection of the lake, despite the lake being public municipal property.

BBMP has emphasized that no NGO or association can raise funds independently without signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the civic body. The MoU must also include a clause explicitly prohibiting fundraising or any commercial activity associated with public waterbodies.

The Karnataka Tank Development and Conservation Authority (KTDCA) has echoed BBMP’s concerns, warning that any group found violating the guidelines may face cancellation of existing permissions for lake development. The authority noted that while a related legal case is pending fresh hearing due to the elevation of the presiding judge to the Supreme Court, the current stay order remains in force, making such collections illegitimate until further judicial clarification.