Saving the Great Indian Bustard: Supreme Court’s Conservation–Energy Balance

Why in News ?

The Supreme Court of India recently delivered a landmark judgment to strengthen conservation of the Great Indian Bustard (GIB) by addressing bird fatalities caused by collisions with overhead power lines linked to renewable energy projects. Acting on expert committee recommendations, the Court demarcated priority conservation areas and laid down mechanisms to manage or reroute power lines in these zones.

Background & Context

The Great Indian Bustard, once widespread across India’s grasslands, is now among the most critically endangered bird species in the world, with an estimated population of fewer than 150 individuals. Rajasthan and Gujarat host its last viable habitats.

Rapid expansion of renewable energy infrastructure—particularly wind and solar projects—has led to a dense network of overhead transmission lines across these landscapes. Due to poor frontal vision and a heavy body, GIBs are unable to detect thin overhead wires, leading to frequent fatal collisions.

The case highlights a broader policy dilemma: balancing India’s climate commitments and clean energy transition with the urgent need to prevent irreversible biodiversity loss.

What the Supreme Court Was Examining

• A retired bureaucrat and environmentalist approached the Supreme Court seeking urgent protection for the GIB.
• The petition highlighted rising mortality due to collisions with overhead power lines in Rajasthan and Gujarat.
• Scientific evidence showed that GIBs are especially vulnerable due to:
  • Poor frontal vision
  • Low manoeuvrability during flight

Key Supreme Court Directions (2021–2024)

2021 Interim Directions

• Ban on new overhead power lines across ~99,000 sq km of GIB habitat.
• Assessment of feasibility of undergrounding high-voltage transmission lines.
• Mandatory installation of bird flight diverters on existing lines.

March 2024 Modification

• Withdrawal of the blanket ban on overhead power lines.
• Modification followed concerns raised by:
  • Ministry of Power
  • Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE)
  • Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC)
• Authorities flagged feasibility constraints, high costs, and adverse impacts on renewable energy expansion.

Balancing Conservation and Clean Energy

• The Court acknowledged the need to balance:
  • India’s renewable energy and climate commitments, and
  • Protection of a critically endangered species
• Held that undergrounding alone is insufficient as a universal solution.
• Constituted an expert committee comprising wildlife scientists and power-sector specialists.

Basis of the Final Judgment

• The Court’s final ruling was guided by expert committee recommendations.
• Adopted a targeted, zone-based approach rather than blanket prohibitions.
• Sought to ensure biodiversity protection while accommodating India’s clean energy goals.

Measures Ordered by the Supreme Court

The Court approved a package of measures across three core pillars:

1. Redrawing priority conservation zones
2. Voltage-based mitigation of power lines
3. Creation of dedicated powerline corridors

Revised Priority Conservation Areas

Rajasthan

• Priority areas expanded from 13,163 sq km to 14,013 sq km.
• Identified by the Rajasthan Forest Department and the Wildlife Institute of India (WII).

Gujarat

• Priority areas increased from 500 sq km to 740 sq km.

Key Critical Sites Identified

• Desert National Park
• Salkha–Kuchri
• Sanu–Mokla–Parewar
• Pokhran Field Firing Range (PFFR) and buffer areas
• Dholiya
• Khetolai
• Chacha

Contestation: Petitioners opposed the exclusion of 657 sq km of eastern Rasla–Degray Oran, citing its importance as a wintering and migratory corridor.

Dedicated Powerline Corridors

Rajasthan

• New corridors up to 5 km wide, located at least 5 km south of Desert National Park.
• Designed to carry rerouted overhead lines away from core habitats.

Gujarat

• Dedicated corridors of 1–2 km width in coastal Kutch to evacuate power from wind and solar projects.

Route Optimisation Mandate

• Where multiple renewable pooling stations feed into a single grid station, routes must be converged into a common corridor wherever feasible.

Project Restrictions in Priority Areas

• No new overhead power lines within priority areas (except ≤11 kV lines).
• No new wind turbines permitted.
• No new solar parks or plants above 2 MW, and no expansion of existing solar parks.

Voltage-Based Mitigation: Undergrounding & Timelines

Rajasthan

• Immediate undergrounding of 80 km of 33 kV lines (out of 104 km identified).
• All undergrounding or rerouting to commence immediately and be completed by 2028.

Gujarat

• Immediate undergrounding of:
  • 79.2 km of 33 kV lines
  • 64.9 km of 66 kV lines
• Additional 250 km of critical lines (identified by WII) to be buried within two years.

Bird Flight Diverters: Evidence-Based Approach

• The Court refrained from issuing blanket directions on bird diverters.
• Directed the expert committee to:
  • Assess their effectiveness scientifically
  • Submit findings to the Union Government for future policy decisions

Conservation Measures Directed by the Supreme Court

The Court endorsed a mix of general and State-specific conservation measures, supplementing the ongoing Project GIB.

Measures for Rajasthan

Grassland Restoration

• Priority on restoration, conservation, and consolidation of grassland ecosystems—the GIB’s primary habitat.

In-situ Habitat Management

• Securing breeding and foraging enclosures
• Predator management, including control of:
  • Free-ranging dogs
  • Reptiles that prey on eggs
• Food and water resource management
• Community engagement to reduce human–wildlife conflict

Measures for Gujarat

‘Jump-Start’ Breeding in the Wild

• Adoption of a ‘jump-start’ breeding technique:
  • Fertile eggs transferred from Rajasthan
  • Infertile egg swapped to allow natural incubation
• Enables females to raise chicks in the wild.

Technology-Enabled Monitoring

• GPS tagging of birds to:
  • Track movement patterns
  • Support breeding and post-release monitoring

The Road Ahead: Coexistence of Energy and Ecology

The Supreme Court’s judgment represents a nuanced attempt to reconcile environmental protection with developmental imperatives. By adopting science-based, location-specific safeguards, the ruling sets a precedent for integrating biodiversity conservation into India’s renewable energy transition.