Why in news?
The High Court of Karnataka ordered issue of notice to the Centre and State government on a PIL petition, which had questioned the legality of the approval granted by the State Wildlife Board and the in-principle approval granted the Standing Committee of the National Board for Wildlife for the ₹10,000 crore Sharavathi Pumped Storage Hydroelectric project in Shivamogga and Uttara Kannada districts.
Must know concepts for exams:
1. Sharavathi Pumped Storage Hydroelectric Project:
The Sharavathi Pumped Storage Hydroelectric Project (PSH) is a proposed pumped-storage hydropower project in the Sharavathi River in Shivamogga district of Karnataka, aimed at improving electricity storage and grid stability
2. Public Interest Litigation (PIL)
Public Interest Litigation (PIL) is a legal mechanism introduced in the early 1980s by Justices P.N. Bhagwati and V.R. Krishna Iyer, allowing any public-spirited citizen or NGO to approach the Supreme Court (Article 32) or High Courts (Article 26) to enforce public rights, relaxing the traditional rule of locus standi.
3. Standing Committee of the National Board for Wildlife:
The Standing Committee of the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) is a smaller executive body Constituted under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. that takes decisions on wildlife conservation matters, especially project approvals affecting wildlife habitats and protected areas.
- Chairperson: Prime Minister of India (head of NBWL).
The Standing Committee is chaired by the Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
