Fight is for Bengaluru’s parks, lakes and scientific urban planning: BJP

Bengaluru: Bengaluru South BJP MP, Tejasvi Surya, alleged on Friday that the Karnataka government had attacked three key laws that protect Bengaluru’s parks and lakes and ensure scientific, coordinated urban planning. He alleged that the amendments were brought in to facilitate the proposed short and long tunnel road projects.

Speaking to the media, Tejasvi Surya said, “The Parks Act protected the parks, the Tank Act protected the lakes, and the BMLTA Act ensured scientific, coordinated urban planning. The state government has attacked all three Acts."

Surya alleged that the government had to acquire park land at Sankey Tank, Lalbagh and Krishna Rao Park for the proposed long tunnel project. To facilitate this and overcome legal challenges before the Karnataka High Court, the government introduced amendments to the Parks law, making diversion and sale of up to five per cent of park land permissible.

“After a large public outcry, the state has now promised to review it. But we don't know what this review will mean. We will be watching it and will ensure that it is reviewed and taken back to the same position as it was earlier,” he said.

Surya alleged that the Karnataka Tank Conservation Act was amended to facilitate the short tunnel project proposed near Hebbal Lake, under which 3.5 acres of lake land was required for the project.

He claimed that the amendment reduced the mandatory lake buffer zone from 30 metres to three metres, describing it as “as good as having no buffer zone at all”.

Surya said Bengaluru, once known as the “city of lakes” with more than 1,000 lakes, now had fewer than 200 due to encroachments.

He warned that the destruction of lakes would have a direct impact on Bengaluru’s groundwater reserves and water security.

“Most of Bengaluru's drinking water needs are met through borewells, which are dependent on the underground water and aquifers of the city. So if you kill the lakes, you are literally killing the underground water sources and aquifers of the city. Therefore, the city's water security will be under threat,” he said.

Surya also demanded the withdrawal of amendments to the Bengaluru Metropolitan Land Transport Authority (BMLTA) Act.

He said Section 19 of the BMLTA Act required the state government to submit infrastructure proposals to the authority for scientific scrutiny and coordination among various government agencies.

He alleged that the government amended the Act because the BMLTA had become a legal hurdle in pushing through the tunnel road project.

“The BMLTA Act was passed by the Bommai government after 18 years of continuous citizen activism in the city. Now, that also needs to be restored,” Surya said.

He said the BJP’s campaign was not limited to opposing the diversion of park land but was aimed at protecting Bengaluru’s “lung spaces” and safeguarding the city’s long-term water security and urban planning.

Surya thanked Bengaluru residents for their vocal opposition to the government’s amendments and said the BJP would continue its campaign until the amendments to the Tank Conservation Act and BMLTA Act were withdrawn.

“We will continue building this civic momentum until the state withdraws the draconian amendments made to the Lake Act and also to the BMLTA Act,” he said.

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