GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change

RAJYA SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO 1811
TO BE ANSWERED ON 14.03.2016
Review of clearances to lake bed and eco sensitive projects

1811. Shri Rajeev Chandrasekhar 

Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to state:-

(a) whether Government would review all clearances given to lake bed and ecologically sensitive projects in Bengaluru on the basis CAG’s Performance Audit tabled on 29th June, 2015 confirming violation of lake buffer zones as the natural ecosystem of lakes in the city has been destroyed by unbridled commercial and vested interest;

(b) if so, the details thereof;

(c) the details of wetlands under the National Wetland Conservation Programme (NWCP), State-wise; and

(d) the details of proposals submitted by Karnataka and the financial assistance provided to the State under the NWCP during the last five years?

Answer
MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI PRAKASH JAVADEKAR)

(a)& (b) As per information provided by Government of Karnataka, in the city of Bengaluru the lakes are surrounded by old buildings and human habitations and a 30 metre wide strip of land surrounding the lake is generally reserved as buffer zone. Considering this buffer zone concept, the Bangalore Development Authority has been sanctioning new building plans and layout plans since 2008. A Legislative Committee constituted by the Government of Karnataka for identification of encroachments in the lakes of Bengaluru has undertaken the task to accord high priority for detailed survey and demarcation of the boundary and buffer zones around the lakes. Two review meetings on the issue of conservation of lakes in Bengaluru have also been convened by the Ministry.

(c)The schemes of National Lake Conservation Plan (NLCP) and National Wetland Conservation Programme (NWCP) have been merged in February, 2013 into an integrated scheme of National Plan for Conservation of Aquatic Eco-systems (NPCA) for synergy and to avoid overlap. A total of 115 wetlands in 24 States and 2 Union Territories, including 7 in Karnataka have been identified for conservation and management under the programme. The State-wise list of these wetlands is given in Annexure.

(d)During the last five years, proposals for conservation and management of 6 wetlands namely Bonal, Gudavi, Magadhi, Ghataprabha, Hidkal and Ranganthittu totalling to Rs 139.69 lakh were received from the Government of Karnataka under the NWCP. Out of these, only one proposal for conservation and management for Ranganthittu wetland was sanctioned and an amount of Rs. 24.00 lakhs released to the Government of Karnataka during the financial year 2012-13. The remaining 5 proposals could not be sanctioned due to non-receipt of utilisation certificates and physical progress reports from the State Government for the releases made earlier.