In the recently concluded monsoon session, the Karnataka government introduced the Karnataka Tank Conservation and Development Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2025, which amends the 2014 Act to define graded buffer zones around tanks based on their size, from 0 m for tanks under 0.05 acres to 30 m for tanks over 100 acres. Following this, the Urban Development Department issued a draft notification reducing the buffer zones of storm-water drains.

While there is no universally accepted definition of buffer zones, in many countries they are designated areas around waterbodies intended to minimise the negative impacts of human settlements. From an ecological perspective, buffer zones are considered “protected zones” that help mitigate the effects of human activity and land disturbance, while also providing critical habitats for fish and other wildlife.

Earlier versions of the Karnataka Tank Conservation and Development (KTCD) Act did not explicitly mention buffer zones, instead referring to the areas around waterbodies as “no-construction zones”. Essentially, buffer zones can be understood as no-construction areas or green belts that support vital ecological functions, including nutrient absorption, wildlife habitat preservation, and maintenance of water quality.

The amended Bill

The amended KTCDA Bill was debated in both Houses. It passed the first hurdle, but it failed to receive assent from Governor Thaawar Chand Gehlot after a civic group filed objections, highlighting the negative outcomes of the “unscientifically” drafted Bill. Following this, both moves by the government attracted widespread criticism, with activists calling the amendment “pro-real estate” and a systematic destruction of water bodies at a time when lakes are becoming a part of history.

N.S. Boseraju, Minister of Minor Irrigation and Science and Technology, told The Hindu that the State has 41,800 waterbodies, 90% of which are small. About 22,000 waterbodies under panchayat raj maintenance span less than five to 10 acres, he said.

“As most of these waterbodies are in rural areas, farmers have suffered from the buffer zone rule, especially those who own half an acre or even smaller plots near lakes,” Boseraju said.