<p>Shivamogga: The land acquisition process has began for the pumped storage project in the Sharavathi Lion Tailed Macaque sanctuary in Sagar taluk amid opposition from the environmentalists.</p>.<p>They plan to move the court if the 2,000-MW project gets forest and wildlife clearance from the Centre.</p>.<p>When contacted, Karnataka State Western Ghat Task Force former chairman Ananth Hegde Ashisara said, it is a bogus project aimed at looting public money.</p>.<p>“It has got approval from State Board of Wildlife, but, yet to secure clearance from the National Board of Wildlife and Union Ministry of Forests. A team from the Centre will have to visit the spot before taking a call on the proposal,” he said.</p>.7 islands in Karnataka's Uttara Kannada identified for eco-tourism boost.<p class="bodytext">Ashisara said that around 400 acres of land including 133.81 acres of forest land have been sought to be acquired for building a powerhouse with tunnels of about 7 km connecting Talakalale and Gerusoppa reservoir.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Besides, roads have to be constructed inside the forest which means thousands of trees would have to be felled causing destruction of biodiversity. Blasting and drilling in forest area will damage flora and fauna of the region.</p>.<p class="bodytext">“Many people of villages in Sagar taluk of Shivamogga district and Honnavar taluk of Uttara Kannada district have not been informed about it. They have been kept in the dark. We came to know about it when we visited Gerusoppa village of Honnavar taluk,” he said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">He also mentioned that a letter has been written to National Board of Wildlife and Union Ministry of Forests urging the officials concerned not to give clearance to the proposed project as it would cause irreparable loss to the western ghats. </p>.<p class="bodytext">Sagar Assistant Commissioner R Yatish said that maximum compensation will be provided to the families who lose their land for the project.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Chairing a preliminary meeting with the farmers who are likely to lose their lands for the project recently, he requested the villagers of Gundibailu and Marathikeri to cooperate, saying that the power project was needed for the nation and the next generation.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Sources in Karnataka Power Corporation Limited KPCL said that the proposed hydroelectric project aims to generate 2,000 megawatts of power by utilising the existing Talakalale dam as the upper reservoir and the Gerusoppa dam as the lower reservoir, effectively pumping water uphill during low demand periods and releasing it to <br />generate electricity when demand peaks.</p>
<p>Shivamogga: The land acquisition process has began for the pumped storage project in the Sharavathi Lion Tailed Macaque sanctuary in Sagar taluk amid opposition from the environmentalists.</p>.<p>They plan to move the court if the 2,000-MW project gets forest and wildlife clearance from the Centre.</p>.<p>When contacted, Karnataka State Western Ghat Task Force former chairman Ananth Hegde Ashisara said, it is a bogus project aimed at looting public money.</p>.<p>“It has got approval from State Board of Wildlife, but, yet to secure clearance from the National Board of Wildlife and Union Ministry of Forests. A team from the Centre will have to visit the spot before taking a call on the proposal,” he said.</p>.7 islands in Karnataka's Uttara Kannada identified for eco-tourism boost.<p class="bodytext">Ashisara said that around 400 acres of land including 133.81 acres of forest land have been sought to be acquired for building a powerhouse with tunnels of about 7 km connecting Talakalale and Gerusoppa reservoir.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Besides, roads have to be constructed inside the forest which means thousands of trees would have to be felled causing destruction of biodiversity. Blasting and drilling in forest area will damage flora and fauna of the region.</p>.<p class="bodytext">“Many people of villages in Sagar taluk of Shivamogga district and Honnavar taluk of Uttara Kannada district have not been informed about it. They have been kept in the dark. We came to know about it when we visited Gerusoppa village of Honnavar taluk,” he said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">He also mentioned that a letter has been written to National Board of Wildlife and Union Ministry of Forests urging the officials concerned not to give clearance to the proposed project as it would cause irreparable loss to the western ghats. </p>.<p class="bodytext">Sagar Assistant Commissioner R Yatish said that maximum compensation will be provided to the families who lose their land for the project.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Chairing a preliminary meeting with the farmers who are likely to lose their lands for the project recently, he requested the villagers of Gundibailu and Marathikeri to cooperate, saying that the power project was needed for the nation and the next generation.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Sources in Karnataka Power Corporation Limited KPCL said that the proposed hydroelectric project aims to generate 2,000 megawatts of power by utilising the existing Talakalale dam as the upper reservoir and the Gerusoppa dam as the lower reservoir, effectively pumping water uphill during low demand periods and releasing it to <br />generate electricity when demand peaks.</p>