Karnataka passes bill to reduce open spaces

The state legislature on Monday passed a bill that seeks to reduce the area to be reserved for parks and open spaces in residential layouts to be developed by urban development authorities.

The Karnataka Urban Development Authorities (Amendment) Bill, 2016, seeks to reduce the area to be reserved for public parks and playgrounds in layouts from the present 15% of the total area to 10%. It also seeks to reduce the area to be reserved for civic amenities from the present 10% of the total area to 5%.

The bill, piloted by City Corporations Minister R Roshan Baig, was adopted without any discussion amid protests by the Opposition members, who were demanding the resignation of minister K J George in connection with the suicide of DySP M K Ganapathi. 

The bill also provides for including legislators of the jurisdictional area concerned, a representative of the electricity supply company from the area, Karnataka State Pollution Control Board, chief executive officer of the zilla panchayat and deputy registrar of the cooperative societies as members of the urban development authorities.