Lake conservation activists in Bengaluru have strongly opposed the Karnataka Cabinet’s recent approval of the Tank Conservation and Development Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2025. The proposed amendment reduces the mandatory buffer zones around lakes to as little as 3 metres, allowing for commercial and industrial activities in these ecologically sensitive areas.
Environmentalists and civic groups have condemned the move as a direct threat to the already endangered wetland ecosystems of the city. With less than 5% of Bengaluru’s wetlands remaining, activists say the amendment will pave the way for rampant encroachments and unchecked urbanisation.
Sandeep Anirudhan, Convenor of the Coalition for Water Security, said, “Buffer zones are not just vacant spaces; they are critical for flood control, groundwater recharge, and biodiversity protection. Shrinking them is an invitation to environmental disaster.” He cited satellite data showing a drastic fall in green cover—from over 70% in 1970 to just 2–3% today—and a surge in concrete sprawl occupying over 95% of the city.
Ram Prasad of Friends of Lakes accused the government of yielding to the builder lobby and bypassing court directives aimed at protecting water bodies. “Instead of removing illegal constructions, the government is legitimising them through this bill. It’s anti-people and anti-nature,” he said. Activist Jagadish Reddy Nagappa added that the amendment could worsen urban flooding and deplete water resources. He called on the government to withdraw the bill and instead focus on enforcing existing environmental laws, penalising encroachers, and restoring lake ecosystems across Bengaluru.