Govt. wants to repeal open spaces rule

However, the move has not gone down well with environmentalists

KARNATAKA - BENGALURU - 13/04/2015 : Ittamadu lake spread across 10.36 acres worth Rs 600 cr has been encroached, , in Bengaluru on April 13, 2015. Deputy Commissioner of Police V. Shankar, who visited the spot, noticed that only a warning board remained. The board said people must not venture into the water as the Ittamadu Lake was a danger zone. But other than that, the entire area has been encroached by apartments and houses by forging revenue documents, he said. The officials had issued notices to the houses and apartments to vacate the land but the residents staged a strong protest leading to a tense situation. Revenue officials who went there to inspect the area were chased by a mob on Saturday. Photo K Murali Kumar.

The State government is proposing to repeal the rule of mandatory 10 per cent open spaces in mid-size apartment complexes, but the proposal has riled environmentalists.

While the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) was letting developers pay a fee in lieu of retaining open spaces, the High Court this February stopped the practice.

The High Court order, which has resulted in about 90 projects getting delayed, has triggered hectic parleys in the government.

The BBMP, faced with two High Court orders and a Supreme Court order over the issue, has written to the government seeking clarity on the next course of action.

Confirming the development, sources told The Hindu that the Urban Development Department had cleared the move to repeal the law and only retain what is prescribed in the building bylaws as per the Karnataka Town and Country Planning Act.

However, this latest action has not gone down well with environmentalists.

“The 10 per cent open space rule was seen by BBMP as a revenue generating exercise and not for green cover in spirit. The rule should not be repealed and instead be implemented without monetising this space,” said environmentalist A.N. Yellappa Reddy.

He added that ideally one-third of the space should be left as lung space. “Scrapping the 10 per cent rule is condemnable. In the run for commercialising space, the quality of life of the residents, especially the children, residing in these buildings is being compromised.”

Rule on open spaces

Reserve 10 p.c. of total area for open spaces and parks

Has to be over and above the setback norms as per the Karnataka Town and Country Planning Act

Introduced in 2010 by BBMP

Applicable to residential projects on less than 4.9 acres

Applicable to commercial buildings on less than 2.9 acres

To avoid this rule, developers can pay guidance value of 10 p.c. of quantum of total land as development fee