SANCTUARY UNDER STRESS

• The Western Ghats (WG) are more than just a retreat for Bengalureans – they’re a lifeline.
• Known for their ethereal beauty and biodiversity, areas like the Sharavathi Valley Wildlife Sanctuary are now under threat.
• Karnataka Power Corporation Limited (KPCL) is pushing a 2,000-MW Sharavathi Pumped Storage Project inside this sanctuary.

FOREST LOSS AND BIODIVERSITY IMPACT

• The project will lead to the clearing of 279 acres of dense evergreen and semi-evergreen forests.
• These forests host Lion-Tailed Macaques (LTM) – endangered primates native only to the Western Ghats.
• Approximately 700 out of 2,500 LTMs globally live in this sanctuary.
• In 2019, the sanctuary was renamed to Sharavathi Valley LTM WLS to protect this species.

ENVIRONMENTAL DESTRUCTION FROM THE PROJECT

• Tunneling: 14 km of tunnels blasted using 18,000 tons of hazardous chemicals.
• Habitat disturbance: Continuous noise, vibration, and pollution for 2+ years.
• Workforce presence: Around 700 workers disrupting the area for at least 5 years.
• Reproductive risk: LTMs breed only once every 2.5–3 years. Disturbance can halt reproduction, risking extinction.

RICH BIODIVERSITY AT STAKE

• The sanctuary is home to:
  • 38 mammal species
  • 164 bird species
  • 43 reptiles
  • 26 amphibians
  • 17 freshwater fish
  • 77 butterfly species
• Critically endangered or vulnerable species include:
  • Tigers, leopards, dholes, pangolins, Slender Loris, king cobra, Indian gaur, Malabar giant squirrel, Jog night frog, etc.

LEGAL PROTECTIONS IGNORED

• Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 (WLPA):
  • Section 29: Prohibits destruction within sanctuaries.
  • Section 33: Obligates Chief Wildlife Warden to prioritize conservation.
• The project violates WLPA by:
  • Clearing 15,000+ trees
  • Excavating 14.49 lakh cubic meters of muck
  • Establishing quarries within the sanctuary and its Eco-Sensitive Zone

INCREASED LANDSLIDE RISK

• Project areas fall under moderate to high landslide zones (as per Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre).
• Deforestation and blasting amplify risk of natural disasters.

GOVERNANCE FAILURE

• State Board for Wildlife (SBWL) and National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) approved the project despite legal violations.
• These boards, chaired by top officials, are statutory bodies under WLPA.
• If not prioritizing wildlife, they have no legal authority to approve such proposals.

A DANGEROUS PRECEDENT

• KPCL plans 11 more pumped storage projects across WLS in Kali, Cauvery, and Varahi basins.
• Once WLPA is breached in one case, future violations become easier to justify.

ECOLOGICAL & ECONOMIC INTERDEPENDENCE

• WG forests:
  • Regulate rainfall
  • Store water
  • Sustain Bengaluru’s water sources: Cauvery, Yettinahole, Linganamakki
• Destroying them threatens:
  • Water security
  • Irrigated agriculture
  • Urban economy

THE BIGGER PICTURE

• Energy ambitions must not come at the cost of biodiversity and water security.
• The WLPA is clear: conservation > energy needs.
• If laws are diluted and ignored, Lion-Tailed Macaques may go extinct.
• This is not just an environmental loss – it’s a collision between energy policy, climate resilience, and survival.