1995: Padmashree Zafar Futehally filed a writ petition in the High Court of Karnataka against the state for large-scale indiscriminate grant and unauthorized occupation of tank bed areas in and around Bangalore. He pleaded for interim direction so that the respondents protect the tanks.

The High Court issued a direction to the respondents “not to make any grant or allotment of the lands situated in the Bangalore Metropolitan area until further orders” with specific regard to tanks.

2001: Norwegian Prime Minister Mr. Jens Stoltenberg inspected the Hebbal Lake as a part of a review of the Indo Norwegian Environment Programme’s support for the rehabilitation and rejuvenation of Hebbal Lake.

July 2002: The Government of Karnataka vide its order No. FEE 12 ENG 2002 constituted the Lake Development Authority (LDA) with immediate effect as a registered society per the Karnataka Societies Registration Act, 1960, as a “non-profit organisation working solely for the regeneration and conservation of lakes in and around Bangalore city”.

December 2003: The Government of Karnataka issued a corrigendum to the Department of Forests, Ecology and Environment stating that the jurisdiction of LDA had expanded to include -the metropolitan areas of Bangalore and would include the area notified under the Bangalore Metropolitan Region Development Authority (BMRDA). It would also cover lakes in the green belt of Bangalore. LDA would also have jurisdiction over the lakes in the other city municipal corporations of the state as well as the lakes in those city municipalities, which are the main sources for drinking water.

2004: An agreement was arrived at between the Respondent 2, Lake Development Authority, and Respondent 15, M/s Lumbini Gardens Ltd., for leasing out to the latter the Nagawara Lake for a period of 15 years for a monetary consideration.

2006: PIL filed by B. K. Bhat against the state government of Karnataka and LDA in particular to ensure that no sewage enters the lake and tanks of the state.

19 June 2006: An agreement was arrived at between the LDA and M/s E. I. H. Ltd. leasing out to the latter the Hebbal Lake for a period of 15 years for a monetary consideration of approximately 1 Rupee per square foot per year.

21 June 2006: Two days later, Respondent 3, the Karnataka Department of Forests, Ecology and Environment, transferred the administration and custody of Hebbal Tank from the office of Respondent 5, Deputy Conservator of Forests, Bangalore Urban Division, to Respondent 2, LDA.

April 2007: An agreement was arrived at between the Respondent 2 (LDA) and M/s Biota Natural Systems (I) Pvt. Ltd. leasing out to the latter the Agaram Lake for a period of 15 years for a monetary consideration.

August 2007: Letter issued by the Deputy Conservator of Forest (Bangalore Urban Division) to the Conservator of Forests (Bangalore) seeking initiation of proceedings under the Wildlife Protection Act (1972) against M/s EIH Ltd. (Respondent 16) for destroying aquatic life in Hebbal Tank.

2007: A city-based advocate, Rudrappa, who is also the founder secretary of a non-governmental organisation Vishwa Adhyatma Vikasa Prathisthana, filed PIL questioning the action of the state and its agencies in not maintaining the 81 tanks in Bangalore metropolitan area.

A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Cyriac Joseph and Justice Ashok B. Hinchigeri asked the Government advocate to verify facts on the issue and place the material before the court.

Sept 2007: Respondent 5 (Karnataka State Forest Department) by way of a letter No. A7-Lake-Transfer-CR/-7-08, issued notice on Respondent _ per Section 9 r/w Section 51 of the Wildlife Act to show cause why criminal action should not be initiated for destroying the Hebbal tank habitat, in particular “the nests and eggs of many birds and animals which are listed under schedules of The Wild Life (Protection) Act 1972”.

April 2008: The Environment Support Group (ESG) and Leo Saldanha brought this controversy in front of the Justice as it filed a PIL against the privatization of lakes in the High Court. It asserted that only the Government was entitled to lease out on bail, whereas the LDA is not. LDA had therefore overstepped its authority and had not fulfilled its task of rehabilitating the lakes. The ESG demanded the cancellation of the three leases (Agara, Hebbal and Nagawara ) and opposed the decision of the LDA to lease out 12 more lakes to private real estate and hotel builders.

May 2008: A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Cyriac Joseph and Justice A.N. Venugopala Gowda asked Biota and Lumbini Gardens and its Managing Director to file their statements within a week on petitions by Environmental Support Group and Leo Saldanha.

June 2008: ESG and Leo Saldanah files a rejoinder against the objection of LDA on the issue whether the writ petition should be allowed.

June 2008: In a new protest against privatisation of lakes in the city, almost 500 residents hadsigned appeals —online and in person — urging Principal Chief Conservator of Forests Dilip Kumar to “abandon” the programme of handing over lakes to private companies to develop them into recreation hubs.

September 2008: In response to B.K. Bhat’s PIL, the court directed that no sewage should flow into the lakes or tanks, the lake area would be surveyed by the revenue department and fencing would done at the expense of the respondents, the forest department was ordered to plant trees and saplings and member secretary of state legal services was directed to coordinate the work of the respondents.

Nov 2008: Passing an interim order, the High Court of Karnataka had restrained the government and private parties from proceeding with any further investment or development of lakes based on the privatisation (PPP) model. The HC gave two weeks to state government to file a comprehensive plan for the protection of lakes and gardens.

Feb 2009: The court directed the state government so that the Department of Ecology, Environment, and Forests file a comprehensive report on March 4 about the preservation of lakes.

March 5 2009: The petitioners filed a rejoinder as the report was filed by LDA instead of Department of Ecology, Environment, and Forests as directed by the court. Hon'ble High Court had specifically asked the state, in particular the 3rd Respondent (Department of Ecology, Environment, and Forests) who was present in the hearing on 17 February 2009, to conduct a meeting of Petitioners and Respondents with due dispatch and report back to the Court the details thereof. According to the petitioners the mere fact that the Principal Secretary of the Department of Forests, Environment & Ecology chaired the meeting did not constitute a process of the State as directed by the Court, since the meeting was called by Respondent-2 (LDA) and not Respondent-3 (Department of Ecology, Environment, and Forests) as should have been the case.

May 2009: The first phase will include 31 lakes around Bangalore, of which, the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) will begin the work on 12.