Approval for Sharavathy Pumped Storage Project in Western Ghats raises concerns over environmental impact on wildlife habitat.

The controversial Sharavathy pumped-storage project will include blasting and movement of heavy machinery in the Sharavathi Lion Tailed Macaque Sanctuary and felling at least 14,000 trees of evergreen...

Shivamogga DC denies a power plant proposal in Besur village, Sagar taluk. Public hearings show opposition to the Sharavathi Project.

As Karnataka navigates conflicting priorities, the Sharavathi project underscores a national dilemma: Can India’s energy goals coexist with ecological survival?

Visit Sigandur Chowdeshwari Temple in Karnataka, a famous pilgrimage spot surrounded by the Sharavathi River and divine spiritual aura.

The Sigandur Bridge, Karnataka’s longest inland cable-stayed bridge, is nearing completion, with only two segments left to be installed. Officials have stated that the bridge is expected to be launched in May or early June, significantly improving connectivity between Sigandur, a temple town on the Sharavathi backwaters, and Sagar in Shivamogga district.

From the 1970s to the turn of the century, Uttara Kannada witnessed a wave of large dams, powerhouses, tunnels and transmission lines. Vast stretches of evergreen forest were submerged for reservoirs and cleared for transmission corridors. Species may have disappeared before they were even documented. Once free-flowing rivers were pushed through tunnels, while regulated hydropower flows permanently altered the estuarine ecology of the Kali and Sharavathi rivers. Much of this expansion was strongly opposed by local communities on environmental grounds. For them, the ecological integrity of these landscapes was deeply tied to livelihoods, culture and local economies. As projects advanced despite these concerns, vulnerabilities for farmers and fishing communities intensified, and existing social and economic inequalities deepened. One of the earliest dam projects to face sustained public opposition was the Bedthi Hydel Project. Work began in 1977, but widespread resistance from local communities eventually forced the government to halt the scheme. A similar story unfolded with the proposed Aghanashini Hydel Project. If the Bedthi and Aghanashini rivers remain free-flowing today, it is not by accident, but because of the sustained struggles of the people of Uttara Kannada. But not all hydel projects that faced public opposition met the same fate,...

The Standing Committee of the State Wildlife Board has recommended forwarding the proposal to divert forest land from the Sharavathi Lion-tailed Macaque Wildlife Sanctuary, to the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) for approval. The Standing Committee of the State Wildlife...

Karnataka Energy Minister K.J. George strongly defended the Sharavathi Pumped Storage Project, saying the government was committed to it as a significant step toward sustainable energy security for the state. He called upon the public to ignore "misinformation" about the...

The Standing Committee of the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) has granted in-principle approval for the diversion of 142 hectares of forest land in the Sharavathi Valley Lion-Tailed Macaque Wildlife Sanctuary in Karnataka, despite concerns over ecological damage and project...

Karnataka villagers and activists oppose the Sharavathi PSP, a high-impact energy project in a wildlife sanctuary. Will forests fall for power?

Protests against the hydroelectric project in the Western Ghats just got new life (Source: www.thehindu.com)

A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru and Justice C.M. Poonacha passed the interim order on the petition filed by Akhilesh Chipli of Shivamogga and two others. (Source: www.thehindu.com)

(Source: www.thehindu.com)

People fall in love with scenic places and engineering marvels all the time, and so did I. The Sigandur bridge — inaugurated in mid-July last year and went viral on social platforms — captivated me instantly. Soon, I decided that I'd cycle there to get a glimpse of the engineering marvel across the Sharavathi river. Now, that meant a 375km ride from Bengaluru! My winter plan almost fell through, but I managed it by early March.The 2.5km Sigandur Bridge, officially known as the Sharavathi Backwaters Bridge, is a landmark infrastructure project in Karnataka's Shivamogga district.

The residents of Sagar Taluk in the district of Shivamogg on Satuday decided to initiate an indefinite protest against the project Sharathim Pumped Storage. Dinesh Shiravjala, president of the district district of Shivamogg Raithy Sangha, said on Thursday that local residents, leaders of various political parties and hangers of various Mutti opposed a controversial project that would damage the untouched forest and hotspot.