Sharavathy pumped storage plan sparks alarm over Western Ghats biodiversity, displacement risks

By A Representative  

The National Alliance for Climate and Ecological Justice (NACEJ), a coalition of environmentalists, scientists, lawyers, and civil society groups under the National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM), has issued a strong appeal to the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) and the Karnataka government to cancel the proposed 2000 MW Sharavathy Pumped Storage Project (PSP). In a detailed representation sent on October 24, 2025, the group argued that the project, proposed by the Karnataka Power Corporation Limited (KPCL), poses severe ecological, social, and cultural risks to the Sharavathy River Valley and the Western Ghats, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and biodiversity hotspot.

The NACEJ warned that the project site lies within the eco-sensitive zone of the Sharavathy Valley Lion-Tailed Macaque (LTM) Wildlife Sanctuary, home to the largest surviving population of the endangered primate. The alliance said the project would fragment critical evergreen forest habitat, threatening species survival and destabilizing an already fragile ecosystem. It cited the findings of Praneetha Paul, Deputy Inspector General of Forests (MoEF&CC Regional Office), who after inspecting the area in May 2025 recommended rejecting the project, citing risks of landslides, tree loss, and ecological disaster. Her report, which noted that over 15,000 trees would be felled and local settlements put at risk, was reportedly ignored by higher officials who later endorsed the project.

Environmental groups emphasized that alternatives such as battery energy storage systems, decentralized rooftop solar generation, and demand-side management could meet peak power requirements without harming ecologically sensitive regions. They questioned the economic rationale of spending ₹10,200 crore on a project that may consume more electricity than it generates, calling it “redundant,” since pumped storage capacity equivalent to nearly five times Karnataka’s requirement is already awaiting environmental clearance elsewhere.

The representation criticized the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) for being “deeply flawed and misleading,” claiming it conceals major environmental and social consequences. The critique listed twelve specific lapses, including the failure to assess risks from explosives, landslides, and hydrological changes; omission of protected archaeological sites such as the Chaturmukh Basti in Gerusoppa; and non-compliance with directives of the Forest Advisory Committee and National Board for Wildlife to conduct cumulative impact and carrying capacity studies. It also alleged that public hearings were held without providing the full project report or Kannada-language EIA to affected communities, undermining procedural transparency.

Local resistance has been mounting. Villagers from Gundibail, Marathi Keri, Henni, Hire Henni, and Vadanbail have written to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, recalling that they were displaced twice before—during the construction of the Linganamakki and Talakalale reservoirs—and urging the state not to uproot them again. Farmers’ groups such as the Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha and Harisu Sene have organized protests in Shivamogga, demanding the project’s withdrawal. Reports also indicate that survey and drilling activities have begun in some areas despite the absence of clearances, raising concerns of procedural violations.

The NACEJ urged the MoEF&CC’s Expert Appraisal Committee not to grant forest, environmental, or wildlife clearance to the project, warning that permitting such large-scale construction in a legally protected sanctuary would set a dangerous precedent. The group called on the Karnataka Chief Minister to hold direct consultations with local communities, environmentalists, and independent experts, and to explore sustainable and socially just energy alternatives.

The signatories to the appeal include noted environmental and social activists such as Soumya Dutta of MAUSAM, Medha Patkar of the Narmada Bachao Andolan, retired Major General S. G. Vombatkere, S.P. Ravi of the All Kerala River Protection Council, and several researchers and ecologists from across India. They urged both the central and state governments to uphold the Wildlife Protection Act, Forest Conservation Act, Environment Protection Act, and Forest Rights Act in letter and spirit, stating that the preservation of the Western Ghats is a matter of national and planetary urgency.