BENGALURU: The Karnataka High Court on Thursday ordered notices to the State Board for Wildlife and the Standing Committee of the National Board for Wildlife on a public interest petition questioning the permission granted for survey and geo-technical investigation for the proposed 2,000-MW hydro power project in the lion-tailed macaque sanctuary of Sharavathi Valley.
A division bench of Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice Ashok S Kinagi also ordered notices to KPCL, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Additional Chief Secretary, Department of Forest, Environment and Ecology.
Contending that the project will affect 877.57 hectares in the sanctuary, petitioner Edward Santosh Martin said the survey work by Karnataka Power Corporation Ltd was taken up without conducting an environmental impact assessment. Martin said the sanctuary is spread across Uttara Kannada and Shivamogga, and hosts 32 groups of the endangered primates on the northern side of the river valley and eight groups on the southern side.
But the sanctuary and the flagship species are under threat due to the ongoing survey and geo-technical investigation. Such activities are not permitted in eco-sensitive zones, he contended. The petitioner added that the current Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister is also chairperson of the Standing Committee as well as chairman of the National Tiger Conservation Authority. The minister also holds the portfolio of Heavy Industries. Therefore, prime facie, there exists a conflict of interests, he said.