NGT Buffer Zone Norms Cause Headache To Bengaluru Homebuyers, State To Seek Review

While the poor state of lakes in state capital Bengaluru is being seen as one of the prime reason for pollution in the city, the Karnataka government has decided to file an appeal before the National Green Tribunal (NGT) asking for a review of its order that directs the state to revive water bodies. In an order passed on December 6 order, the NGT extended the buffer zone around lakes and stormwater drains while asking the state government to deposit Rs 500 crore in an escrow account to rejuvenate the polluted lakes and pay Rs 50 crore to the Central Pollution Control Board.

According to the government officials, the buffer zone will add inconvenience for homebuyers who have already invested in the structures that have come up in the zone which has now been declared restricted.

On December 6, the NGT issued an order that barred construction activities up to 75 meter (m) from the boundary of a stormwater drain and lakes in order to save the polluted lakes such as the Bellandur lake and the Agara lake from extinction. However, this has added another layer of buffer zone regulation, leaving homebuyers as well as urban planners confused.

Earlier, the restricted zone was limited to 50 metre for stormwater drain which has now been increased to 75 meters. Since the structures between 30 and 75 meter of the drain are already under-construction, these could not be occupied without the NGT’s permission and it has also withdrawn all the permission, sanctions and environment clearance to structures if construction is below 25 per cent as on May 7, 2015. The ruling has irked the builders who were granted building permission in the last two years after maintaining 50 metre.

In 2015, the NGT had issued an order for maintaining a buffer zone of 75 meters for lakes, 50 m for primary, 35 m for secondary and 25 m for tertiary stormwater lakes.