Building houses on buffer zone which is 15-30 meters from Rajakaluve, can lead to floods and also no place for expansion of drainage in future.
Oct. 17, 2023
Houses and apartments on the buffer zone of the Rajakaluve violate guidelines, which is illegal.
A resident whoowns a house in buffer zone says,” We thought it won’t affect us by seeing an apartment constructed in the same stretch. When we applied for loan, we got to know that it is buffer zone and the loan was also rejected. Bruhat Bengaluru MahanagaraPalike (BBMP) also didn’t give us permission and plan approval.”
According to thejudgement on buffer zone by National Green Tribunal (NGT),”It imposed a new buffer zone of 75 metres for lakes and wetlands which will be a no-construction zone, as opposed to 30 metres of buffer earlier in Bangalore. The court also ordered Mantri Techzone Private Limited to demolish structures built on buffer zone around lakes and rajakaluves in Bengaluru and ordered Mantri Developers to pay the fine of Rs. 117. 35 Crores.
During the Monsoon, last year areas like Devarabeesanahalli, Marathahalli, Varthur and Bellandur in Bengaluru had floods. After seeing these floods BBMP decided to take action over encroachment in buffer zones.” says India Environmental Portal.
When asked the Joint Commissioner of BBMP what actions have been taken by them previously with the constructions on buffer zones!
Joint commissioner of Zonal BBMP of RR Nagar says,” We have taken action previously.”
BBMP last year carried out anti-encroachment drives in its attempt to arrive at a solution for the intense flood conditions and issued notice to 15 different real estate developers as well as IT Parks.
Vikram Bhat – Urban Designer says,” Buffer zones are left for citizens safetyi,e. 15-30 meters. The logic behind this is over flooding should not happen. The encroachment happening will directly impact buffer zone occupants. The occupants here have to be penalized heavily and for the further constructions strict norms should be taken.”
