A new mini-hydel project proposed on the Kumaradhara river in Karnataka’s Kodagu district is raising serious environmental red flags. This comes at a critical time when safeguarding the Western Ghats should be a top priority.
The project, named the Sri Shantamallikarjuna Mini Hydel Project, would span the Kumaradhara river in Kodagu’s Kumarahalli village (Somwarpet taluk). It involves diverting 2.8 hectares of vital forestland, a move currently awaiting approval from the Deputy Conservator of Forests, Madikeri Division.
Environmental groups, however, are sounding the alarm. They argue that such mini and micro hydel systems are already contributing to significant ecological degradation within the Western Ghats, and this new proposal is no different.
Prominent wildlife conservationist Giridhar Kulkarni has formally urged the Forest Department to reject the project. His primary concern is the site’s close proximity to the Pushpagiri Wildlife Sanctuary, a critical habitat for elephants and numerous other species protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
Kulkarni highlights that the proposed project area is reportedly situated within the sanctuary’s Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ), which was officially designated in June 2017, and lies a mere 2.5 kilometers from its border.
“This region is already grappling with severe habitat fragmentation caused by numerous infrastructure projects, unchecked tourism, and existing mini-hydel schemes,” Kulkarni warns. “If approved, this new proposal will only intensify human-caused pressures, gravely impacting the crucial elephant corridor and threatening the survival of key species. It will also significantly worsen human-elephant conflict in the area.”
Emphasizing the vital need to preserve this area, Kulkarni noted that neglecting its conservation would lead to irreversible damage to the riverine ecosystem. He also brought to the authorities’ attention the frequent landslides in the region, attributing them to habitat degradation and urging immediate action to prevent further ecological decline.
In his appeal to the Forest Department on October 28, 2025, Kulkarni also reminded officials of a crucial affidavit the State government filed with the Karnataka High Court in Writ Petition No. 9333/2009. In that filing, the government explicitly committed to not allowing new mini-hydel projects in the Western Ghats.
“The High Court accepted this commitment, which resulted in the cancellation of several planned projects,” Kulkarni asserted. “Granting any new approval now would directly contradict this previous undertaking and fundamentally violate the State’s own declared conservation policy for the region.”