What is the common examiner trap about Environment in UPSC exams?

They may ask about the 'State Wildlife Board' vs. the 'National Board for Wildlife (NBWL)'—confusing which one gives final approval for projects in protected areas (NBWL is the final statutory authority). Another trap is swapping the 'Sharavathi' river with other Western Ghats rivers like 'Kali' or 'Netravati'.

What should UPSC aspirants remember about Environment for Prelims?

1. Target this Data: Project capacity (2,000 MW) and revised cost (₹10,240 crore). 2. Target this Nodal Body: Karnataka Power Corporation Limited (KPCL) as the implementing agency. 3. Target this Legal Point: Approval process requiring clearance from the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) for projects in sanctuaries.

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News 23 of 33

Sharavathi Pumped Storage Hydroelectric Project: ₹10,240 Crore, 2,000 MW Plan Challenged in Karnataka HC Over Western Ghats Sanctuary

Q: Which organization proposed the Sharavathi Pumped Storage Hydroelectric Project?

Karnataka Power Corporation Limited (KPCL), The article explicitly states that the Karnataka Power Corporation Limited (KPCL) proposed the project in the valley of the Sharavathi river.

Q: Consider the following statements regarding the Sharavathi Pumped Storage Hydroelectric Project: 1. The project aims to generate 2,000 MW of power to meet peak-hour energy demands. 2. The National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) has granted final forest and environmental clearance for the project. 3. An expert panel report stated that the project's operational benefits outweigh its ecological costs. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Only 1, Statement 1 is correct as per the article. Statement 2 is incorrect because the article states that while NBWL gave an 'in-principle approval', forest and environmental clearances are still pending. Statement 3 is incorrect as the expert panel report concluded the opposite: 'the limited operational benefit... seems outweighed by the irreversible ecological, environmental and social costs involved.'

Q: According to the article, what was the estimated cost of the Sharavathi Pumped Storage Hydroelectric Project as of 2026?

₹10,240 crore, The article clearly states: 'the cost of the project which was estimated to be around ₹4,800 crore in 2017, has gone up to nearly ₹10,240 crore.'

Q: What is the primary environmental concern cited by opponents of the Sharavathi Pumped Storage Hydroelectric Project?

Irreversible damage to the wet evergreen forests and isolation of lion-tailed macaques, The article details concerns about destruction of wet evergreen forests and isolation of the endemic lion-tailed macaque population. The site inspection report specifically warned that construction activities 'would result in the complete destruction of the wet evergreen forests, and that cutting trees would isolate the population of lion-tailed macaques.'

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Target:UPSC GS-IIIMPSCTeachingSSC GAPrelims HighMains HighStatic GK Link

17 Mar 2026

~2 min

Source: The Hindu

Key Data:2,000 MW₹10,240 crore₹4,800 crore (2017)7,000-8,000 trees

Bodies:Karnataka High CourtKarnataka Power Corporation Limited (KPCL)State Wildlife Board (Karnataka)National Board for Wildlife (NBWL)Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC)

Practice MCQs from today's news ▸

~2 min · Quick mode

What This Article Covers

1.The Karnataka High Court has stayed work on the KPCL's 2,000 MW Sharavathi Pumped Storage Hydroelectric Project in the Sharavathi Lion-Tailed Macaque Wildlife Sanctuary, following a petition by environmentalists.

2.The project cost has escalated from ₹4,800 crore (2017) to nearly ₹10,240 crore, aiming to meet peak-hour demands and aid India's 2030 non-fossil fuel target, but faces opposition over irreversible ecological damage.

3.A site inspection report by a MoEF&CC official and an expert panel report found the ecological and social costs outweigh the project's benefits, creating a significant precedent for infrastructure in protected areas.

The Big Picture

Prelims · HighMains · High

A major pumped storage hydroelectric project in Karnataka's Western Ghats, crucial for peak-hour energy demand and India's clean energy transition, faces significant legal and environmental hurdles. This case highlights the classic development vs. conservation conflict, testing the implementation of environmental laws in sensitive biodiversity hotspots.

Exam Lens

Quick Exam Facts From News

Project Capacity2,000 MW

Project Cost (2026)₹10,240 crore

Trees to be Cut7,000-8,000 trees (Reduced from 16,000)

Sanctuary InvolvedSharavathi Lion-Tailed Macaque Wildlife Sanctuary

Key Legal BodyKarnataka High Court

Key Regulatory BodyNational Board of Wildlife (NBWL)

1-Minute Revision

›Project Capacity: 2,000 MW
›Project Cost (2026): ₹10,240 crore
›Target this Data: Project capacity (2,000 MW) and revised cost (₹10,240 crore).
›Target this Nodal Body: Karnataka Power Corporation Limited (KPCL) as the implementing agency.
›Target this Legal Point: Approval process requiring clearance from the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) for projects in sanctuaries.

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News Snapshot

⚖️

Legal Setback

Karnataka HC stays work on the ₹10,240 crore pumped storage project in a biodiversity hotspot sanctuary.

🌳

Conservation Conflict

Project faces opposition for threatening lion-tailed macaques and wet evergreen forests in the Western Ghats.

⚡

Energy Imperative

The 2,000 MW project is defended as vital for peak-hour energy demands and India's 2030 clean energy target.

Detailed Analysis & Strategic Depth

Context / Background

The Sharavathi river valley in Karnataka's Western Ghats is already a primary hydel power source. The KPCL proposed a pumped storage project in 2017 to add 2,000 MW for peak-hour demands, aligning with India's 2030 non-fossil fuel target. However, its location within a wildlife sanctuary housing the endemic lion-tailed macaque triggered immediate environmental concerns.

Core Analysis & Implications

This case exemplifies the tension between energy security and environmental protection. While the project received approvals from State and National Wildlife Boards, forest and environmental clearances are pending. Expert reports from MoEF&CC officials and independent panels concluded the ecological damage—forest destruction and species isolation—outweighs the operational benefits. This sets a precedent for how courts and regulators evaluate 'irreversible ecological costs' against developmental gains in protected areas.

Future Outlook / Way Forward

The KPCL's next move before the Karnataka HC and NBWL will be crucial. The case may push for stricter application of the Forest (Conservation) Act, Wildlife Protection Act, and EIA process for projects in ecologically sensitive zones. It also highlights the need for comprehensive environmental cost-benefit analysis and exploring alternative sites for renewable energy projects to avoid biodiversity hotspots.

Key Facts at a Glance

Project Capacity2,000 MW

Project Cost (2026)₹10,240 crore

Trees to be Cut7,000-8,000 trees (Reduced from 16,000)

Sanctuary InvolvedSharavathi Lion-Tailed Macaque Wildlife Sanctuary

Key Legal BodyKarnataka High Court

Key Regulatory BodyNational Board of Wildlife (NBWL)

You've read the full analysis. Now test your understanding.

Practice exam-style questions based on this article.

Q1Static LinkageEasyUPSC, SSC, State PSC

Which organization proposed the Sharavathi Pumped Storage Hydroelectric Project?

Q2Statement-basedHardUPSC

Consider the following statements regarding the Sharavathi Pumped Storage Hydroelectric Project:

1. The project aims to generate 2,000 MW of power to meet peak-hour energy demands.

2. The National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) has granted final forest and environmental clearance for the project.

3. An expert panel report stated that the project's operational benefits outweigh its ecological costs.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Q3Data-centricMediumUPSC, SSC

According to the article, what was the estimated cost of the Sharavathi Pumped Storage Hydroelectric Project as of 2026?

Q4Application/ImpactMediumUPSC, State PSC

What is the primary environmental concern cited by opponents of the Sharavathi Pumped Storage Hydroelectric Project?

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Sharavathi Pumped Storage Hydroelectric Project: ₹10,240 Crore, 2,000 MW Plan Challenged in Karnataka HC Over Western Ghats Sanctuary

Exam Lens

Quick Exam Facts From News

1-Minute Revision

News Snapshot

Legal Setback

Conservation Conflict

Energy Imperative

Detailed Analysis & Strategic Depth

Context / Background

Core Analysis & Implications

Future Outlook / Way Forward

Prelims Flashpoints

Key Facts at a Glance