BENGALURU: The energy department has called for tenders for the Sharavathi pumped storage unit in Shivamogga, and aims to issue work orders in the first week of March.
However, the department is yet to obtain environmental clearance for the project. Officials said the application has been put on the Parivesh portal. It may be recollected that in December 2023, forest clearance was not given for the proposal when it was placed before the committee.
The department has proposed a 2000MW pumped storage power plant in Shavarathi Valley. Of the proposed 150 hectares of land required for implementing the project, 39.7 hectares fall inside forest patches in Sagar, Honnavar and Shivamogga wildlife divisions, including the Lion Tailed Macaque Sanctuary.
An energy department official, not wanting to be named, told TNIE: “Two things are being done simultaneously. We have applied in the Parivesh portal for environmental clearance and also called for tenders for the project. The tender process will end in February-end, and has been done to save time. Tenders have been called for engineering design, land procurement and construction. The initial design work does not need environmental clearance.”
The official added that till environmental clearance is obtained, work on revenue land patches will start as it doesn’t need clearance. “The state government is keen on implementing the project and has decided to take up work in two parts. Rejection by the forest committee is not a hindrance,” the official added.
Sources in the environmental clearance committee said there is no proposal before them at the moment.
“The proposal has to get clearance from the divisional officers concerned, and nothing has come forward so far. Since the forest clearance committee had not accepted it, details of the same need to be obtained and studied,” the source said.