Centre backs expansion of 'No-Go' zone to shield Great Indian Bustards in Rajasthan

With only a few GIB left, experts have urged the Supreme Court to mark an additional 850 sq km in Rajasthan as off limits to power lines, calling for the bird's survival.

New Delhi: The Centre on Thursday informed the Supreme Court about a suggestion to add an extra 850 square kilometer area in priority Great Indian Bustards (GIBs) habitats in Rajasthan.

These critically endangered birds are particularly found in Rajasthan and Gujarat, and the alarming decrease in their numbers can be attributed to frequent collisions with overhead power transmission lines, including those of solar plants, near their habitats.

They have lateral vision as their eyes are on the sides of their head and they find it difficult to change their course of flight when confronted with a live wire.

Observing the birds were an endangered species, requiring urgent protection, the apex court in March last year formed an expert committee to suggest areas for underground laying of power transmission lines in priority and potential GIB habitats in Rajasthan and Gujarat.

The matter came up for hearing on Thursday before a bench of Justices P S Narasimha and A S Chandurkar.

Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, appearing for the Centre, said initially, around 99,000 square kilometer (sq km) area was held up in Rajasthan and Gujarat where renewable energy projects could not take place for conservation of GIBs.

Referring to the March 2024 verdict, Bhati said the top court set up the committee, which has submitted two reports, one each for Rajasthan and Gujarat.

She said the judgement referred to priority and potential areas.

Bhati said the committee opined an original priority area of around 13,000 sq km in Rajasthan should remain sacrosanct and remain a priority area.

"Additionally, the committee has recommended 850 sq km to be added as an additional priority area which should remain sacrosanct," she said, pointing out a dissent note in the report over some aspects.

Bhati said the court would have to consider both the reports.

The 2024 verdict noted the total priority area was 13,663 sq km in both states whereas the total potential area was 80,680 sq km.

The verdict further observed in Rajasthan, 13,163 sq km was priority area, 78,580 sq km was potential area and 5,977 sq km was additionally important areas.

Similarly, for Gujarat, the verdict noted 500 sq km was priority area, 2,100 sq km was potential area and 677 sq km was additionally important areas.

During Thursday's hearing, the bench asked whether there was any opposition to the committee's recommendations.

"One aspect which we are indicating is that there is a very high priority area because the breeding is taking place just adjacent to that and we believe that should be included," senior advocate Shyam Divan, appearing for the petitioner, said.

Referring to another aspect, Divan said they just wanted it to be refined.

"They have suggested a very good thing, that is, a power corridor so that all the lines are at one place instead of criss-crossing and creating a hazard," he said.

The bench posted the matter for September 16.

In its March 2024 verdict, the apex court said the order passed by it in April 2019 would need to be suitably modulated and a blanket direction for the undergrounding of low-voltage and high-voltage power lines would need calibration and to be looked at by domain experts.

The apex court was hearing a PIL filed by retired IAS officer M K Ranjitsinh and others which said the birds were on the verge of extinction and the top court's 2021 order hadn't been complied with.

The top court, in its 2021 judgment on the PIL, passed a slew of directions to protect the birds.

Gujarat and Rajasthan governments were ordered to replace overhead electric cables with underground cables, wherever feasible, and install bird diverters in priority areas where the birds live.