BACKGROUND: The Supreme Court’s efforts to balance GIB conservation with renewable energy development date back to 2019, with continued hearings and developments leading to the recent establishment of a seven-member committee.

ESTABLISHMENT OF THE COMMITTEE

• Purpose: The committee aims to find a balance between GIB conservation and renewable energy generation in regions where GIBs are found.
• Constitution: The committee comprises seven members and has been tasked with suggesting conservation measures, identifying areas for power line construction, and submitting a report by July 31, 2024.

2021 JUDGMENT AND SUBSEQUENT CHALLENGES

• Cause of Concern: Overhead power lines have been identified as a significant threat to GIBs, leading to collisions and deaths among the critically endangered species.
• Previous Decision: The court’s April 2021 decision mandated the installation of bird diverters and explored the possibility of underground power lines in ‘priority’ areas.
• Challenges: Solar and wind energy companies raised concerns about business disruptions, prompting a reevaluation of the blanket directive for underground power lines.

CURRENT DEVELOPMENTS AND COURT’S RESPONSE

• Proposal for Technical Committee: The Ministry of Power proposed a technical committee to evaluate the feasibility of undergrounding power lines in GIB habitat areas.
• Court’s Sympathetic Approach: The court acknowledged practical and financial challenges and suggested carving out a ‘critical’ area for undergrounding power lines.
• Committee Formation: A seven-member committee was formed to reassess conservation measures, identify areas for power line construction, and provide recommendations by July 31, 2024.

GREAT INDIAN BUSTARD (GIB) 

• Importance and Threats
  • GIB is India’s most critically endangered bird and represents the health of grassland ecology.
  • Confined to Rajasthan and Gujarat, with small populations in Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh.
  • Threats include collision/electrocution with power lines, hunting, habitat loss due to agriculture.
• Protection Status
  • IUCN Red List: Critically Endangered
  • CITES: Appendix I
  • CMS: Appendix I
  • Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972: Schedule I
• Conservation Measures
  • Species Recovery Programme – Integrated into the Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change’s (MoEFCC) Wildlife Habitats development.
  • National Bustard Recovery Plans – Implemented by conservation agencies to safeguard GIB habitats.
  • Conservation Breeding Facility – Established in Desert National Park, Jaisalmer, to breed GIBs for population increase.
  • Project Great Indian Bustard – Rajasthan government initiative focusing on breeding enclosures and habitat preservation.
  • Eco-Friendly Measures – Task Force working on eco-friendly solutions to mitigate power line impacts on wildlife, including GIBs.

ANALYSIS

• Balancing Conservation and Development: The court’s approach reflects a delicate balance between GIB conservation efforts and renewable energy development, considering ecological concerns alongside economic interests.
• Technical Expertise: The inclusion of a technical committee underscores the importance of expert opinions in evaluating the feasibility and impact of conservation measures.
• Timely Action: The committee’s deadline for submitting recommendations by July 31 indicates a sense of urgency in addressing the GIB conservation challenges.
• Collaborative Approach: The involvement of stakeholders, including energy companies, government bodies, and conservationists, highlights the collaborative effort needed to find sustainable solutions.