SC considers lifting ban on transmission lines in Great Indian Bustard habitats

The Supreme Court (SC) is currently contemplating lifting the ban on power lines passing through Great Indian Bustard (GIB) habitats. In this context, the SC has mandated that nearly 10% of the proposed power lines across the vast Thar and Kutch deserts in Gujarat and Rajasthan should be re-routed or placed underground.

The SC has designated 67,000 sq km for solar power transmission, safeguarding 13,000 sq km of GIB habitat, and has prohibited cables in 80,000 sq km due to collision risks, according to the report of Hindustan Times.

Representing the Union government, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta and Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati argued that the previous order from April 19, 2021, to ban overhead cables across 80,000 square kilometres was impractical. They proposed seeking a middle ground that allows for solar energy expansion while ensuring significant measures to prevent GIB extinction.

Chief Justice Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud and the bench, comprising Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, suggested adopting stricter regulations for critical GIB habitats covering about 13,000 square kilometres. The remaining 67,000 square kilometres could then be allocated for solar energy development and overhead power lines.

Emphasizing the need for a balance between environmental conservation and energy demands, the bench highlighted the crucial role of enhancing solar power capacity to reduce dependence on coal-fired thermal power plants.

The Great Indian Bustard, recognized for its impressive wingspan and stature, has witnessed a 90% decline in habitat primarily due to fatal collisions with power lines, leading to its critically endangered status, with fewer than 100 individuals estimated to remain.

The court is contemplating engaging experts to delineate areas based on GIB movement patterns and scientific research, potentially allowing underground placement of power lines to protect the birds.

Senior counsel Shyam Divan, representing PIL petitioners, stressed that the court's focus should be on conserving GIBs, highlighting the gravity of their extinction threat. Responding, the bench acknowledged the need for GIB protection but cautioned against extreme prohibitions without a scientific basis.

In 2019, environmentalists and conservationists approached the SC, leading to a 2021 directive that all "low-voltage" power lines in identified "priority and potential habitats of the GIB" be undergrounded. The Wildlife Institute of India (WII) report further recommends undergrounding around 200 km of overhead power lines.

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