MUKESH SINGH at 20:54, 26 July 2025

2025-07-26T20:54:41Z

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{{Short description|Former government agency in Bangalore}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2019}}
{{Use Indian English|date=September 2019}}

{{Infobox government agency
| name = Lake Development Authority
| type = Government agency
| formed = 10 July 2002
| dissolved = {{end date|2015}}
| superseding1 = Karnataka Lake Conservation and Development Authority (KLCDA)
| superseding2 = Karnataka Tank Conservation and Development Authority (KTCDA)
| keydocument1 = [https://www.indiacode.nic.in/bitstream/123456789/8128/1/10_of_2015_%28e%29.pdf KLCDA Act 2014 ]
| website = {{URL|https://web.archive.org/web/20180612135812/http://www.klcda.com/|Archived site of KLCDA}}
}}

The '''Lake Development Authority''' (LDA) in Bangalore, Karnataka, and its successor the Karnataka Lake Conservation and Development Authority (KCLDA) were formed in 2002 and 2015 respectively. Karnataka Tank Conservation and Development Authority (KTCDA) under the Minor Irrigation Department became the superseding agency.

== Background ==
Lake Development Authority was created by Government order on 10 July 2002 as a registered society for the monitoring, regeneration and conservation of lakes in and around Bangalore city, later extended in 2003 to all lakes within Karnataka municipal corporations. Rendered ineffective and largely inactive due to a lack of statutory authority, staffing, branch offices and funding the LDA claimed it could only feasibly play a role in mediate between citizens and the custodians of the lakes.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://bengaluru.citizenmatters.in/bengaluru-lacks-buffer-zones-raja-kaluves-data-and-will-to-protect-lakes-cag-7556|title=Bengaluru lacks buffer zones, raja kaluves, data and will to protect lakes: CAG|last=Upadhaya|first=Himanshu|date=4 August 2015|work=Citizen Matters}}</ref>

To address these deficiencies, the Government passed the ''Karnataka Lake Conservation and Development Authority Act 2014'' creating a superseding agency for the purpose of protecting, conserving, reclaiming, restoring, regenerating and integrating the development of lakes, whether natural or man-made in the state of Karnataka. The KCLDA was reported to have successfully prevented encroachments onto urban lakes during its short period of operation.<ref name="Thakur 2018">{{Cite news|url=https://www.deccanchronicle.com/nation/current-affairs/280218/without-kclda-city-lakes-left-high-and-dry.html|title=Without KCLDA, city lakes left high and dry!|last=Thakur|first=Aksheev|date=28 Feb 2018|work=Deccan Chronicle}}</ref>

In 2016, the KLCDA 2014 Act was repealed, and regulatory jurisdiction over the state's lakes handed over to the Minor Irrigation Department.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/bangalore/governor-signs-lake-amendment/article23404400.ece|title=Governor signs lake amendment|last=Bharadwaj|first=KV Aditya|date=1 April 2018|newspaper=The Hindu|access-date=13 September 2019}}</ref> Activists claim the act was repealed to appease special interests.<ref name="Thakur 2018" />

== Lake privatisation ==
The Karnataka government set up the Lake Development Authority (LDA) in July 2002, with an initial mandate of regeneration and conservation of lakes within BMRDA jurisdiction.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Dasgupta |first=Sanyukta |date=19 November 2011 |title='Commercial interest cannot drive lake conservation in Bengaluru' |url=https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/commercial-interest-cannot-drive-lake-conservation-in-bengaluru----34479 |access-date=2022-09-17 |website=Down to Earth}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Cases on protection of lakes. Bangalore lakes |url=https://www.cseindia.org/cases-on-protection-of-lakes-2575 |access-date=2022-09-17 |website=Centre for Science and Environment}}</ref> While LDA's scope was large, it was reduced to giving clearance to lake related projects. It was considered ineffective in dealing with encroachments.<ref name=":23">{{Cite web |last=Sengupta |first=Sushmita |date=15 March 2015 |title=Saving city lakes |url=https://www.downtoearth.org.in/coverage/saving-city-lakes-48813 |access-date=2022-09-22 |website=Down to Earth}}</ref> In coordination with LDA, several organisations and funding agencies were involved such as an Indo–Norwegian collaboration,<ref name=":16">{{Cite web |last=Kozhisseri |first=Deepa |date=15 May 2008 |title=Bangalore lakes leased out |url=https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/bangalore-lakes-leased-out-4586 |access-date=2022-09-18 |website=Down to Earth}}</ref> and the National Lake Conservation Programme (NLCP) under the central government.<ref name=":17">{{Cite web |date=9 March 2006 |publisher=Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change |title=National Lake Conservation Plan |url=https://pib.gov.in/newsite/erelcontent.aspx?relid=16404 |access-date=2022-09-18}}</ref> The LDA, under its public-private participation policy, began to lease out lakes for 15 years to private bodies.<ref name="Thippaiah 2009">{{Citation |last=Thippaiah |first=P |title=Vanishing Lakes: A Study of Bangalore City |date=2009 |url=http://www.isec.ac.in/Monographs_17.pdf |series=Social and Economic Change Monograph Series 17 |publisher=Institute for Social and Economic Change, Bangalore |isbn=978-81-7791-116-9 |pages=22–23 |access-date=18 October 2023 |archive-date=28 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221228055525/http://www.isec.ac.in/Monographs_17.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=D'Souza |first=Rohan s |date=2007 |title=Impact of Privatisation of Lakes in Bangalore |url=http://www.doccentre.net/docsweb/Rohan_final_report_lakes_privatisation.php |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081029235017/http://www.doccentre.net/docsweb/Rohan_final_report_lakes_privatisation.php |archive-date=29 October 2008 |access-date=8 September 2022 |website=Centre for Education and Documentation}}</ref> In 2005 and 2006, it leased out four lakes, Hebbal, Nagavara, Venkanayakere and Agara.<ref name=":29">{{Cite web |last1=Ganesh |first1=Maya |last2=Cao |first2=Yue |date=10 June 2014 |title=Governing the Commons through privatisation in the urban Global South: A Case of Bangalore Lakes Privatisation |url=https://blogs.ucl.ac.uk/esd/governing-the-commons-through-privatisation-in-the-urban-global-south-a-case-of-bangalore-lakes-privatisation/ |access-date=2022-09-18 |website=blogs.ucl.ac.uk UCL Encyclopaedia of Political Ecology}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=23 June 2008 |title=Of the dangers posed by privatisation of lakes |work=The Hindu |url=http://www.hindu.com/2008/06/23/stories/2008062357010200.htm |url-status=dead |access-date=8 September 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080628210915/http://www.hindu.com/2008/06/23/stories/2008062357010200.htm |archive-date=28 June 2008}}</ref> The LDA contended that the organisation was not adequately staffed and that they did not have the finances for maintaining lakes on an ongoing basis; hence, the alternative was leasing out lakes to private parties.<ref name=":0" /> Under another scheme, private companies located near lakes were offered to adopt the lakes, only five lakes were adopted.<ref name="Thippaiah 2009" />

These private sector activities resulted in protests from citizen groups.<ref name=":29" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Yeshwanth |first=Rajeev |date=2008-06-24 |title=Lake policy misguided, says forest department |url=https://bengaluru.citizenmatters.in/244-lakes-development-244 |access-date=2022-09-18 |website=Citizen Matters, Bengaluru |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Khandekar |first=Supriya |date=2008-11-04 |title=High Court stays privatisation of lakes |url=https://bengaluru.citizenmatters.in/577-lake-protection-577 |access-date=2022-09-18 |website=Citizen Matters, Bengaluru |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Gandhi |first=Divya |date=June 18, 2008 |title=Campaign against lake privatisation |work=The Hindu |url=http://www.hindu.com/2008/06/18/stories/2008061862550400.htm |url-status=dead |access-date=8 September 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080921153941/http://www.hindu.com/2008/06/18/stories/2008061862550400.htm |archive-date=21 September 2008}}</ref> Issues raised and social damage caused due to this privatization covered a wide range of factors. This included jurisdiction limitations where lakes were not addressed as a continuum with land nor with respect to inter-lake linkages. The scope of non-compliance was increased including due to lack of coordination with other related authorities.<ref name=":0" /> With respect to the private developer contending that the lake would be a unique recreational place, others felt that the entry fee per person would cause socio-economic exclusion of the traditional users such as farmers, fishing communities, cattle herders and washer–men. Environmentalists mentioned adverse affects on the lake's wetland ecology including lakes being reduced to pretty hygienic bowls.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Gandhi |first1=Divya |last2=Shivanand |first2=Swathi |date=July 25, 2007 |title=A farewell to Hebbal lake? |work=The Hindu |url=http://hindu.com/2007/07/25/stories/2007072558510100.htm |url-status=dead |access-date=8 September 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071018154857/http://hindu.com/2007/07/25/stories/2007072558510100.htm |archive-date=18 October 2007}}</ref> In 2008 public interest litigations, including one by Environmental Support Group, seeking redress were filed.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Aggarwal |first=Shivangi |date=17 June 2021 |title=Karnataka revives dying lakes: Why a decentralised governance was long overdue |url=https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/waste/karnataka-revives-dying-lakes-why-a-decentralised-governance-was-long-overdue-77515 |access-date=2022-09-24 |website=Down to Earth}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Valérie |first=Fernando |date=2008 |title=Disappearance and privatisation of lakes in Bangalore |url=https://www.partagedeseaux.info/Disappearance-and-privatisation-of-lakes-in-Bangalore |access-date=2022-09-18 |website=partagedeseaux.info Global Watersheds |language=}}</ref> In 2012 the High Court sought an end to privatisation of lakes.<ref name=":30">{{Cite web |last=Rao |first=Bhargavi S |date=2021-01-08 |title=Despite order on restoration, lakes continue to be threatened |url=https://www.deccanherald.com/opinion/main-article/despite-order-on-restoration-lakes-continue-to-be-threatened-936427.html |access-date=2022-09-24 |website=Deccan Herald |language=en}}</ref> However it made a number of observation including "private participation in such projects is in accordance with national water policy".<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=12 April 2012 |title=High court sets guidelines on lake privatization |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bengaluru/high-court-sets-guidelines-on-lake-privatization/articleshow/12630849.cms |access-date=2022-09-18 |website=The Times of India}}</ref> The final order contained a report titled "Preservation of Lakes in the City of Bangalore" (2011).<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sayeed |first=Vikhar Ahmed |date=2021-09-11 |title=Controversy over Siva statue in Begur lake, Bengaluru, communalises an environmental issue |url=https://frontline.thehindu.com/the-nation/communalism/controversy-over-siva-statue-in-begur-lake-bengaluru-communalises-an-environmental-issue/article36275027.ece |access-date=2022-09-24 |website=Frontline |publisher=The Hindu |language=en}}</ref>

This eventually resulted in the Karnataka legislature introducing an act resulting in the formation of the [[Karnataka Lake Conservation and Development Authority]] (KLCDA),<ref name=":23" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Khanna |first=Bosky |date=2015-07-31 |title=Karnataka Lake Authority might just save the lakes |url=https://www.deccanherald.com/content/492515/karnataka-lake-authority-might-just.html |access-date=2022-09-22 |website=Deccan Herald |language=en}}</ref> LDA was merged into this.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Rao |first=Mohit M. |date=2015-11-02 |title=New lake development authority by December |language=en-IN |work=The Hindu |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/bangalore/New-lake-development-authority-by-December/article60242450.ece |access-date=2022-10-03 |issn=0971-751X}}</ref> KLCDA was done away with in 2018.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Rao |first=Mohit M. |date=2018-02-23 |title=Death knell for KLCDA before it could even take off |language=en-IN |work=The Hindu |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/bangalore/death-knell-for-klcda-before-it-could-even-take-off/article22838652.ece |access-date=2022-09-22 |issn=0971-751X}}</ref> Responsibilities of the KLDCA was transferred to the Karnataka Tank Conservation and Development Authority (KTCDA).<ref name=":34">{{Cite web |last=Swaraj |first=Shilpa M. |date=2022-07-21 |title=Whom do you call to fix your lake? |url=https://bengaluru.citizenmatters.in/lake-conservation-authorities-groups-bengaluru-85524 |access-date=2022-09-30 |website=Citizen Matters, Bengaluru |language=en-GB}}</ref>

== References ==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Government of Bengaluru]]
[[Category:State agencies of Karnataka]]

Lake Development Authority - Revision history

MUKESH SINGH at 20:54, 26 July 2025