Two ex-judges of SC join seers and others in opposing Sharavati project

Two former judges of the Supreme Court, seers of mutts, and politicians have joined hands with environmentalists in opposing the controversial Sharavati Pumped Storage Project proposed in the core area of the Western Ghats.

They have appealed to the State government to drop the project and also urged it not to propose any project in the Western Ghats.

Former judges N. Santosh Hegde and V. Gopala Gowda, Kappathagudda Nandiveri Mutt seer Shivakumara Swami, Bangarumakki seer Maruthi Guruji, Basava Kendra seer Basava Marulasidda Swami, former MLA and president of Parisarakkagi Navu A.T. Ramaswamy, former legislators Mahima Patel, Hartal Halappa, Christian priest Roshan Pinto, Muslim leader Vahab Sab and others held a joint press conference here on Tuesday.

Mr. Hegde, addressing the media, stated that the project had not been designed focusing on the public good.

“I am 86 years old. I took the trouble to travel to Shivamogga at this age, worried about the impact of the project on the forests. We have the responsibility to hand over the Western Ghats to future generations,” he stated.

The tunnel, planned as part of the project, would come up 500 metres below the ground. The construction would lead to the removal of thousands of trees.

“When there are better alternatives to generate power, why is the government intending to implement this project? If we don’t stop this project, it will impact everyone in the coming days,” he remarked.

Mr. Gopala Gowda said he was not against development, but it was everybody’s duty to oppose if the proposed development project was harming the environment, flora and fauna.

“There are strict laws to protect environment and wildlife. The project proponent — KPCL — has been misleading the public by spreading lies about the project. It is silent about the pollution that hazardous muck generated following blasting activity could cause. Energy Minister K.J. George was careless when he stated that the project would not cause any harm to nature,” he opined.

Mr. Ramaswamy said protecting the Western Ghats from development projects was essential for the benefit of future generations. “The Western Ghats is a biodiversity hotspot and the source of major rivers in South India. If the core area of the Western Ghats is harmed, the life of people in South India will be impacted badly,” he said.

Further, he felt that the people in power, who conceived the project, had their eyes only on the coming elections, not the generations to come.

Maruthi Guruji of Bangaramakki said that the people opposing the project would not relent until the government issued a notification assuring the people that no project would be taken up in the Western Ghats.

“The proposed pumped storage project is one among the many projects planned by the government. Many more, including the mega project to take Linganmakki water to Bengaluru, have been planned. We need to oppose all of them,” he said.

Basava Marulasidda Swami of Basava Kendra in Shivamogga suggested that tapping solar energy would be a better alternative to the proposed pumped storage project.

“The estimated cost of the project is over ₹10,420. If the same amount was deposited in a bank, many houses could be provided with solar energy apparatus by the interest amount alone. The government should think on these lines, otherwise seers would hit the streets to oppose the project,” he said.

Environmentalists Akhilesh Chipli and B.M. Kumaraswamy and others were present at the press conference. The participants later held a meeting in the city to discuss future plans.