BENGALURU: The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday directed the state government that no steps or activities on the ground should be carried out within the Sharavathi Valley Lion-Tailed Macaque Sanctuary and its Eco-Sensitive Zone.
A division bench of Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru and Justice CM Poonacha passed the interim order after hearing the public interest litigation challenging the decision taken by the Karnataka State Wildlife Board to approve the Sharavathi Pumped Storage Project and the Kalkatte Bridge construction.
The petition was filed by Wildlife Conservationist Akhilesh Chipli from Shivamogga, Human Rights Activist Dr Ravindranath Shanbhogue from Udupi and Environmentalist Manohar Kumar C B from Shivamogga, through advocate B V Vidyulatha.
Before the passing of the interim order, K Arvind Kamat, Additional Solicitor General of India, submitted that the central government has serious concerns about this project, for which no approval was given under the statute, which is still under consideration.
Advocate General K Shashikiran Shetty submitted that the matter is with the National Wildlife Board and the petition is premature as the approval has not been given by the Board. Senior counsel Dhyan Chinnappa, appearing for Karnataka Power Corporation Limited, contended that there will be no impediment in carrying on non-forest activities in the sanctuary.
However, the court orally observed that the matter is of serious concern, and it also has concerns about the project, which requires consideration. Further hearing adjourned to June 10.
Questioning the decision dated January 28, 2025, taken by the Karnataka State Wildlife Board to approve the project, the petitioners alleged state government’s initiative to build 2,000 MW Sharavathi Pumped Storage Project within the sanctuary and its Eco-Sensitive Zone, not only in gross violation of Section 29 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, but also in due disregard to the reports and studies of the experts that the project if implemented would destroy the fragile ecosystem in the Western Ghats, including its flora, fauna to such an extent that some rare and endangered species found in the said area would be driven to extinction.
Requesting the court to quash the in-principle recommendation granted in the 84th meeting of the Standing Committee of the National Board for Wildlife held on June 26, 2025, for the project and construction of bridge, the petitioners requested the court to declare that all the activities in any sanctuary which runs contrary to the embargo laid out in Section 29 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, is prohibited.