Daijiworld Media Network – Bangalore (SP)

Bangalore, Apr 19: The High Court on Monday April 18, directed various hydel projects that have obtained permission from the state government to function in Western Ghats, not to go ahead with the execution of the projects until further orders.

The division bench of the High Court, comprising Chief Justice J S Khehar and Justice A S Bopanna, asked all other companies except Bangalore-based Maruti Power-gen (India) Pvt Ltd, not to go ahead with their hydel projects. Maruti Power-gen, which has completed 70 percent of works, can continue with its project, but it will be subject to the final orders the High Court will deliver later, the bench clarified.

With this, eight prestigious power projects including Murdeshwar Power Corporation, Swarna Energy Ltd, and Mysore Merchantile Ltd, who have obtained clearance for installing hydel projects, will have to wait the outcome of the case.

The court passed this order, while hearing a public interest petition filed by ‘Western Ghats Environment Forum’, which has questioned the decision taken to set up 137 mini hydel projects at various places in Western Ghats located within Uttara Kannada district. The petitioner has said that this region, which is rich in forests, has already suffered irreversibly because of mega projects. The petition also notes that thousands of trees will get uprooted for these projects, and rare species of birds and animals get destroyed if these projects are executed.  By the leasing out of forest land to private persons, the greenery and valuable medicinal plants and bushes also will get destroyed, and environment will be adversely affected, the petitioner has contended. The organization also has argued that by investing the same funds for augmenting solar power, the expected generation of power can be achieved, and rural people can get benefit out of it.