Green Tribunal’s expert committee on Bellandur SEZ to submit interim report soon

by July 31, 2015 Environment
Though only eight days are left for the deadline of the National Green Tribunal, the eight-member expert committee is yet to study the approvals provided by BWSSB and KIADB to the massive SEZ coming up on Bellandur lake catchment area.

Massive SEZ coming up on the catchment area between Agara and Bellandur lake. File pic.

With the deadline only a week away for an eight-member Expert Committee to study Special Economic Zone (SEZ) project on Agara-Bellandur lake catchment area, the Committee has decided to submit an interim report on the project for the time being.

The Expert Committee was formed by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) as part of the litigation proceedings on the SEZ project by Mantri Tech Zone Pvt Ltd and another project by Core Mind Software and Services Ltd, on May 7th, 2015.

‘Yet to get details from BWSSB, KIADB’

While constituting the Committee, the NGT had stated that the Expert Committee should inspect the projects and submit a report to the Tribunal as well as the Ministry of Environment and Forest within three months. “The Committee while studying any adverse environmental and ecological impact of these projects on the lakes, also will suggest whether any part of the project is required to be demolished. If so, details there of along with reasons be provided,” the Tribunal had said.

Apart from studying the particular SEZ project, the NGT had also directed the Committee to inspect other areas in Bengaluru where various projects might have had an impact upon the waterbodies, particularly lakes.

However, the Committee has so far studied only Mantri and Core Mind projects and is yet to inspect other projects. Committee Convener IFS officer Vijaya Kumar told Citizen Mattersthat the Committee has so far studied only two projects in question and will submit an interim report on the same before the deadline.

“We are yet to inspect other such projects. We might continue our study on other projects and include the observation in final report,” he said.

On asked about the observations of the Committee, the Committee Convener said that they are yet to arrive at a conclusion. “We are yet to get details of the project from Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB), BWSSB and other agencies. A clear picture can be drawn only after the information is corroborated. The Committee has convened two meetings till now and the third meeting will be convened on August 1st,” he said.

The Expert Committee comprises of:

  • Advisor in the Ministry of Environment and Forest dealing with the subject of wetlands
  • CEO of the Lake Development Authority
  • Chief Town Planner of BBMP, Bangalore
  • Chairman of SEAC
  • Senior Scientist (Ecology) from the Indian Institute of Sciences, Bangalore
  • Dr. Siddharth Kaul, former Advisor to MoEF
  • A Senior Officer from the National Institute of Hydrology, Roorkee

Karnataka State Pollution Control Board Member Secretary Vijaya Kumar is the Convener of the Committee.

The projects by Mantri Techzone are facing an NGT litigation filed by Forward Foundation and Bangalore Environment Trust, and supported by resident welfare associations in the Koramangala – HSR Layout – Bellandur area.

Related Articles

Bengaluru SEZ exposé wins environment award for Citizen Matters scribe
No approval: BBMP orders Mantri SEZ to stop construction
Agara SEZ to multiply traffic on Sarjapur Road
How govt helps SEZ trump Bellandur lake

Sections:

About Akshatha M

Akshatha M was a Staff Journalist at Citizen Matters. She tweets at @akshata1.
Read more by Akshatha M

Comments:

  1. Satheesh says:
    September 28, 2015 at 2:30 pm

    Not sure what can be done if builders use muscle power : http://www.deccanchronicle.com/150916/nation-current-affairs/article/bengaluru-builders-threaten-members-national-green-tribunal

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Similar Story

Why Uppal is getting hotter: Dense construction and reduced green cover increase temperatures

by , , , , and July 6, 2026 Environment
Data from 2015-2025 reveals how rapid urbanisation has intensified Uppal's heat risks, signaling the urgent need for blue-green infrastructure in Hyderabad.

Uppal is a suburb of Hyderabad, located in the northeastern part of the city. It is known for housing landmarks like the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium and has schools, government offices, industrial zones and commercial centres. The area experiences high temperatures due to the Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect that operates within the city limits.  Our examination of Land Surface Temperature (LST) data covered the years 2015, 2020, and 2025 and shows how heat zones have expanded with warmer areas becoming larger. In Uppal, rapid urban development has changed the thermal balance. Dense construction and fewer trees  are creating  persistent…

Continue reading

Similar Story

BDA’s tree plantation drive faces accountability issues, not accounting errors

by June 23, 2026 Environment
This record-breaking drive in Bengaluru has cleared out shrub ecosystems rich in biodiversity to plant saplings that may never thrive.

Fifteen lakh trees. A place in the Guinness Book of Records. The Bengaluru Development Authority (BDA) has been on overdrive, promoting its new project to plant 15 lakh trees in spaces created in its new layouts. 240 acres have been earmarked across BDA’s faraway layouts. The saplings are to be planted across lake and nala buffer zones, parks and public spaces in new neighbourhoods like Nadaprabhu Kempegowda Layout, Banashankari 6th Stage, and Dr Shivarama Karanth Layout, according to the BDA Chairman N A Haris. While such massive tree plantation exercises are by themselves questionable, there is also the question of a…

Continue reading