Sharavathi’s survival at stake

The Karnataka government has imperilled the ailing Sharavathi River, pushing it closer to its demise with its recent decisions. 

The Sharavathi, which originates in Ambuthreetha in the crestline of the Western Ghats in the Shivamogga district, is not a mighty river like the Cauvery or Krishna, flowing across many states. But it flows through the verdant Western Ghats, plunging 960 feet at Jog Falls—a breathtaking sight that draws tourists from across the country. After traversing 132 km, it empties into the Arabian Sea at Honnavar in the Uttara Kannada district. 

Despite its ecological and cultural significance, the state government has approved a major project and is considering another project in the Sharavathi Valley: 1. The pumped storage power project is set to be the largest pumped storage power generation unit in India. Tenders for this project, costing Rs 8,000 crore, have already been awarded, with the total installed capacity of generating 2000 MW. 2. Diverting 15 TMC (thousand million cubic feet) of water from the Linganamakki reservoir on the Sharavathi to supply water for Bengaluru, which was stalled after opposition from activists and people in 2019, is now back in discussions. The aim is to lift this water 1,500 feet and pump it to travel 430 km to reach Bengaluru. 

These projects will have catastrophic consequences for the fragile tropical forest ecosystem of the Sharavathi Valley. The pumped storage project is located within the Sharavathi Valley Lion-Tailed Macaque sanctuary, one of the few places in South India—apart from Silent Valley in Kerala—where this endangered primate is found. 

A Gazette notification on the sanctuary highlights its unique biodiversity: “The landscape is covered by climax tropical evergreen forests that are extremely rich in flora and fauna, especially the presence of Lion-Tailed Macaque (Macaca silenus), Great Indian Hornbill, and Myristica swamps.” It emphasises that the region is part of a global biodiversity hotspot, underscoring the need for conservation. 

Pepper to power 

The Sharavathi valley was known as the ‘Pepper Queen’ for pepper found in its lush forests and spice gardens that attracted Arab and European traders over centuries. 

In the 16th century, Rani Chennabhaira Devi, who ruled the region, was also known as the Pepper Queen. Portuguese first and then the British exploited the valley for its valuable teak timber, a prized hardwood, converting it into a ‘Timber Queen.’

Post-Independence, the valley underwent further changes as the state government built a series of hydropower dams. Today, Sharavathi is called the “Power Queen,” generating 1,275 MW of power. 

In 2005, we walked along the length of the river as part of ‘Sharavathi Avalokana’ to understand its state. To our shock we found that the river flows freely for just 14 km from its origin at Ambuthreetha. The remaining 98 km are controlled by hydel dams and tunnels.

The existing hydel dams have the potential to generate clean, renewable power, but only if the river’s regenerative capacity is preserved. This requires protecting the catchment forests, which ensure water percolation during heavy rains and recharge reservoirs during dry seasons. Unfortunately, the conversion of natural forests into monoculture acacia plantations has reduced water availability and increased silt load, affecting the life of the dam.

The Sharavathi Valley is also a hotspot for Kyasanoor Forest Disease (KFD), a tick-borne virus that has claimed human lives as it spread from the death of monkeys. Habitat destruction could lead to the virus spreading to the lion-tailed macaque, risking its extinction. Fragmentation of the macaque’s habitat could also force these exclusively arboreal species to descend to the ground, disrupting their behaviour, and survival. 

The Karnataka government often highlights its commitment to upholding constitutional rights through several awareness programmes.
The right to a safe environment is a fundamental right. However, its policies contradict this ethos, prioritising development over the preservation of vital natural resources. 

The Sharavathi is a guarantor of clean water, air, and climate resilience for the entire state. It is therefore the ethical and moral responsibility of the state government to conserve Sharavathi Valley’s fragile ecosystem, not annihilate it through short-sighted decisions. By endorsing these projects, the state government has effectively signed the river’s death warrant. 

(The writer is a farmer and Uttara Kannada-based 
environmentalist)