3 months ago
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The High Court of Karnataka connected Tuesday (March 10) directed the State authorities and the Karnataka Power Corporation Ltd. (KPCL) not to transportation retired immoderate enactment connected crushed for the ₹10,000 crore Sharavathi pumped retention hydroelectric task successful wood areas wrong the Sharavathi Valley Lion Macaque Sanctuary and its eco-sensitive zone, till further orders.
A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru and Justice C.M. Poonacha passed the interim bid connected the petition filed by Akhilesh Chipli of Shivamogga and 2 others.
Earlier, Additional Solicitor General of India K. Arvind Kamath pointed retired to the seat that the Union authorities has immoderate concerns astir the task portion pointing retired that nary support has been fixed for the task arsenic of now, adjacent though the National Board of Wildlife had fixed in-principle support for the project.
No impediment
However, elder advocator Dhyan Chinnappa, appearing for the KPCL, said that the restrictions imposed nether Section 29 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, for demolition of sanctuary volition not origin immoderate impediment for taking up the projected task successful the sanctuary country arsenic nary endangered monkeys are recovered successful the task country wrong the sanctuary oregon its eco-sensitive zone.
Meanwhile, State Advocate General K. Shashi Kiran Shetty contended that the petition is premature arsenic the Union authorities has not yet granted support for the project.
To a query by the seat connected definite preparatory works being carried retired successful the task country arsenic was claimed successful the petition, the A-G said determination is nary specified anticipation of taking up works successful the lack of support for the task by the Centre.
However, the seat orally said that since the issues raised successful the petitions necessitate examination, the tribunal does not privation a concern of taking up immoderate enactment successful the task successful the lawsuit of task support by the Centre during pendency of the petition.
Not betterment
In the petition, filed done advocator B.V. Vidyulatha, it has been contended that demolition wrong sanctuary is permissible lone for “improvement and amended absorption of wildlife” successful the sanctuary, and the contiguous powerfulness task cannot beryllium termed arsenic betterment of wildlife.
The petitioners person questioned the legality of support fixed by the granted by the State Wildlife Board successful January 2025 and the in-principle support granted by the Standing Committee of the National Board for Wildlife successful June 2025.
It has been pointed retired successful the petition that the task requires 142.763 hectares of land, retired of which 102 hectares are geographically located wrong the sanctuary and 39.715 hectares are situated wrong the eco-sensitive zone.
