Buffering Karnataka’s waterbodies

In the recently concluded monsoon session, the Karnataka government introduced the Karnataka Tank Conservation and Development Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2025, which amends the 2014 Act to define graded buffer zones around tanks based on their size. While there is no universally accepted definition of buffer zones, in many countries they are designated areas around waterbodies intended to minimise the negative impacts of human settlements, writes Chetan B.C.