The Supreme Court on March 15 swooped-in to intervene on behalf of the critically endangered Great Indian Bustards over the birds falling dead after colliding with power lines running through their dwindling natural habitats in Gujarat and Rajasthan.
Key Points
- A Bench led by Chief Justice of India Sharad A. Bobde will now examine on a priority basis if overhead power cables can be replaced with underground ones to save Great Indian Bustards.
- Great Indian Bustards are one of the heaviest flying birds on the planet.
- Appearing for the Power Ministry, Attorney General K.K. Venugopal submitted that only low voltage lines can go underground but not the high voltage ones.
- The court also found that an alternative mechanism to install flight bird divertors which guide the birds away from the power lines would be expensive.
- The court found that the divertors, with their recurring costs, would end costing more than installing and maintaining underground lines.
- However, the court has suggested treading the middle path.
- Chief Justice Bobde said that wherever there are high voltage power lines, flight bird divertors can be used even if the recurring costs are high. Further, wherever there are overhead low voltage lines, these can be placed underground.
Senior advocate A.M. Singhvi, appearing for some power companies, objected to the court passing any sort of blanket ban which would affect over 50 lakh jobs. Singhvi said the greater threat to the birds was from their diminishing habitat which has been flattened for agriculture. He said these areas were arid areas that require electricity for sourcing water.
The court agreed to further hear the case next week.
