From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network

Bengaluru, Feb 13: Bowing to the demands from ruling Congress members and opposition members, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister T B Jayachandra has promised to re-look into the Karnataka Urban Development Authorities (Amendment) Bill, 2016, that reduces the area reserved for parks and open spaces in the residential layouts formed by urban development authorities.

The minister agreed to consider the demands from both the treasury and opposition benches in the State Legislative Assembly on Monday.

As per the Bill, the area reserved for lung spaces has been brought down to 10 per cent from the current 15 percent; and the area reserved for civic amenities is reduced from the current 10 per cent to five per cent in layouts (total 15 % against the previous 25 per cent) developed by Urban Development Authorities. 

The Bill aimed at establishing parity with the private layouts which set aside 15 per cent of the total space for parks and playgrounds.

In the absence of Urban Development Minister Roshan Baig, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister T B Jayachandra tabled the Bill in the House, which was sent by Governor Vajubhai Vala to the Government stating that Bill would reduce area reserved for parks and civic amenities, playgrounds and increase traffic congestion and pollution.

Leader of the Opposition Jagadish Shettar demanded immediate withdrawal of the Bill which has increased the representation for officials in the respective Urban Development Authority by accommodating just one MLA and MLC in the Authority on rotation basis for one year. 

Earlier, Shettar had urged the Governor not to give his assent to the Bill.

The Bill included a representative of electricity company, a territorial Deputy Conservator of Forest, a representative of the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board, the CEO of ZP, a Deputy Registrar of Co-operative Societies having jurisdiction over the local planning area in the respective urban development authority.
S Suresh Kumar (BJP) termed the Bill “high regressive,” while G T Deve Gowda of JD(S) too termed it anti-democratic since it aimed at curtailing rights of elected representatives.