BBMP apologizes to National Green Tribunal and withdraws buffer zone circular

BBMP apologizes to National Green Tribunal and withdraws buffer zone circular

BENGALURU: The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) and Karnataka Urban Development Department (UDD) tendered an unconditional apology to the principal bench of the National Green Tribunal on Wednesday, and undertook to withdraw with immediate effect, a circular laying out exemptions from the buffer zone ruling of the tribunal.

A UDD letter to the BBMP, dated February 16, 2017, interpreting the NGT ruling too has been withdrawn. Citing the UDD communication, the BBMP had issued the circular, dated March 30, 2017, exempting projects which had already received plan approvals from the buffer zone ruling.

The department and BBMP submitted affidavits and were represented by additional chief secretary Mahendra Jain and joint commissioner Sarfaraz Khan, respectively.