HC dismisses plea against KPCL

Says petitioner can approach NGT

The High Court on Friday dismissed a petition challenging environmental clearance to the KPCL for setting up a gas-based combined cycle power plant inside 500 metres of the Puttenahalli Lake.

The court was hearing the petition filed by the Yelahanka Puttenahalli Lake and Bird Conservation Trust which wanted it to direct the authorities to cancel the illegal green clearance to Karnataka Power Corporation Limited (KPCL).

The clearance was issued on September 1, 2015 by the state environment impact assessment authority.

The court asked the petitioner to approach the National Green Tribunal (NGT) regarding their plea.

The petitioners said the power plant would not only destroy the Puttenahalli and Yelahanka lakes, but would also damage the network of rajakaluves and the fragile lake ecosystem. It said the project appears to be 80% complete.

The petition also stated that the Yelahanka-Puttenahalli lake was originally spread over 13.77 hectares and was home to over 100 species of migratory and endangered birds.

It also pointed to an April 29, 2015 Department of Forest, Environment and Ecology notification declaring Puttenahalli lake as a “Bird conservation reserve”.