Bengaluru, September 3: The Karnataka government decided to withdraw the ‘Karnataka Park Protection (Amendment) Bill’ during a cabinet meeting on Thursday. This decision came in response to significant public and opposition protests.
Deputy Chief Minister G. Parameshwara stated, “A law was introduced to protect government parks. However, the opposition failed to engage in discussions on this issue and instead sent misleading messages to the public. We have withdrawn the bill and will inform the Governor about this decision. The bill will be reintroduced for discussion in the next assembly session.”
Both houses of the state legislature had passed this bill amid strong opposition from the BJP and JD(S). The Congress government had also sent the bill for the Governor’s approval.
A.S. Ponnanna, the Chief Minister’s legal advisor and Congress MLA, emphasized that the government took concerns related to this law seriously. He dismissed claims that the amendment aimed to allow the government to acquire or sell five percent of park land for private purposes. He explained that the provision was intended to avoid the need for repeated legislative amendments whenever public projects required the use of park land in urgent situations.
Ponnanna stated, “It is incorrect to say that five percent of park land will be utilized. Whenever public projects are implemented and there arises a necessity to use park land, such matters have traditionally been brought before the legislature for amendment.”
He clarified that the amendment aimed to provide a mechanism for the government to use up to five percent of park land for public projects, eliminating the need for separate legislative amendments each time. He assured that the government would determine which public projects, if any, would require such land.
Ponnanna criticized the misrepresentation of this provision, stating that political propaganda falsely claimed that parks would be sold or their land confiscated. He urged the public not to panic, affirming, “We are here to protect their interests. The government is acting responsibly and in accordance with the Constitution.”
He noted that Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar has acknowledged the concerns raised regarding the amendment.
Following its passage in the previous assembly session, the ‘Karnataka Park Protection (Amendment) Bill’ faced widespread opposition. Critics expressed concerns over the provision allowing the use of up to five percent of park land for public works, arguing that it could negatively impact Bengaluru’s green spaces.
Bengaluru’s parks are considered the city’s “lungs.” Environmentalists and citizens have voiced fears that permitting the use of portions of park land for other purposes could gradually diminish the city’s green cover.
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