The Karnataka High Court has issued an interim order stopping activities related to the construction of the 2 GW Sharavathy pumped storage project (PSP) in Karnataka.

The High Court noted that the Sharavathy Valley Lion-Tailed Macaque Sanctuary was designated to preserve the environment of the endangered lion-tailed macaque, and any disturbance to its habitat would undermine the main purpose of declaring it a sanctuary.

It also highlighted that the sanctuary is situated in the ecologically sensitive Western Ghats, which could face bigger ecological impacts from the construction of the PSP.

As of 2024, the number of lion-tailed macaques in the region was estimated to be around 750. The total population in the world is about 4,000. Any fragmentation of their habitat could reduce their numbers.

However, Additional Solicitor General Arvind Kamath, along with Advocate General Shashi Kiran Shetty, contended that the current petition is premature, as the National Wildlife Board has not yet granted approval for the project.

The next hearing is scheduled for June 10, 2026.

The Karnataka Power Corporation has proposed to develop a 2 GW (8 x 250 MW) PSP  in Shivamogga and Uttara Kannada districts of Karnataka. The project entails an upper (Talakale) and a lower (Gerusoppa) reservoir, both of which already exist, an underground powerhouse, eight turbines, and four tunnels ranging from 2.2 km to 3.5 km in length.

The project proposes pumping water up from the lower reservoir during low-demand hours and generating power by discharging the water from the upper reservoir and running it through turbines during peak hours.

The project requires 153 hectares of land, including forest land. It will also entail the development of roads and power lines.

The order from the Karnataka High Court comes against the backdrop of the Karnataka government approving the framework for the wildlife mitigation plan, while the National Board of Wildlife was still examining the project’s impact on the habitat.

The Court issued the interim order after admitting a public interest litigation.

The petitioner argued that establishing the project would be debilitating to the ecosystem and destructive to wildlife.

The petitioner stated that the project is also impermissible under Section 29 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, which prohibits any person from destroying, exploiting, or removing wildlife, including forest products from a sanctuary, or damaging or diverting the habitat of any wild animal without permission from the Chief Wildlife Warden.

The petitioner noted that Section 29 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, also forbids permission for such activities unless the state government, in consultation with the National Board for Wildlife, contends that the removal of wildlife or changes in the water flow into or outside the sanctuary are necessary for the improvement and better management of wildlife.

In 2025, the Central Electricity Authority had greenlit detailed project reports for six PSPs, including the 2 GW Sharavathy project.