Karnataka to resubmit Buffer Zone Bill with clarifications; Bengaluru’s large lakes unaffected

The state government will reintroduce the Karnataka Tank Conservation and Development Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2025, clarifying that the revised buffer zones will not impact Bengaluru’s major lakes and are aimed at rationalising protection based on lake size.

The Karnataka government will soon resubmit the Karnataka Tank Conservation and Development Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2025, popularly known as the Buffer Zone Bill, after Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot returned it in September for review.

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The Bill, initially passed during the Monsoon Session, proposed a new framework for lake buffer zones based on their size, replacing the existing uniform 30-metre buffer where construction is restricted. The Governor, however, objected, saying the changes could harm citizens’ right to water security and a healthy environment, and suggested increasing, not reducing, buffer zones.

Minor Irrigation Minister N. S. Boseraju said the revised Bill will be resubmitted with detailed clarifications. He stressed that no major lakes in Bengaluru, all of which are over 50 acres, would be affected by the changes.

“Except MLAs and MLCs from Bengaluru, all other legislators have welcomed the Bill,” Boseraju said, adding that the amendments were made after petitions from several elected representatives and meetings with the Chief Secretary and departments concerned.

Proposed Buffer Zone Categories

•    Lakes < 0.5 acre – No buffer zone.
•    1–10 acres – 6-metre buffer.
•    10–25 acres – 12-metre buffer.
•    25–100 acres – 24-metre buffer.
•    >100 acres – 30-metre buffer (unchanged)

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The minister explained that the 1999 notification enforced a 30-metre buffer for all lakes, leading to widespread concerns, especially in coastal districts like Dakshina Kannada and Udupi, where small lakes were left with large unusable buffer areas.

Of the 41,840 tanks in Karnataka, around 22,000 lie within village panchayat limits, mostly under 20 acres, which will now require revised buffer zoning. The Bill was formulated after reviewing similar laws across 15 Indian states, Boseraju said.

For comparison, Tamil Nadu mandates a 3-metre buffer, while Telangana and Andhra Pradesh maintain 9 metres. The minister maintained that Karnataka’s amendments were made in the public interest, balancing conservation with practical land-use needs.

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The government now plans to resubmit the Bill with detailed justifications addressing the Governor’s concerns, ensuring both environmental protection and community benefit remain central to its implementation.