Supreme Court Ruling on Bustard Conservation

Supreme Court Judgment on Great Indian Bustard Conservation

Context and Background:

• The Supreme Court's judgment on December 19, 2024, addresses conservation issues related to the critically endangered Great Indian Bustard (GIB).
• The petition dates back to 2019, initiated by M. K. Ranjitsinh, aimed at protecting GIB from fatal collisions with overhead power lines related to renewable energy projects.
• The GIB population was estimated to be around 150 individuals, facing increased mortality from collisions due to its poor frontal vision and heavy body.

Judicial Actions and Recommendations:

• An expert committee, including wildlife and power sector experts, was formed to recommend measures for GIB conservation.
• The court delimited priority conservation areas, extending the core zones for GIB protection in Rajasthan from 13,163 sq km to 14,013 sq km and in Gujarat from 500 sq km to 740 sq km.
• The recommendations included creating designated powerline corridors to prevent collisions.

Key Conservation Measures Ordered:

1. Powerline Corridors:

   • Dedicated corridors of up to 5 km in width in Rajasthan to accommodate rerouted overhead lines.
   • In Gujarat, corridors of 1–2 km wide for wind and solar project power evacuation.

2. Restrictions on Future Projects:

   • Prohibition on new overhead power lines, except through designated corridors, and limitations on new wind turbine installations within revised priority areas.
   • No new solar projects exceeding 2 MW capacity within these areas.

3. Mitigation Measures:

   • Immediate undergrounding of 80 km of 33 kV lines in Rajasthan and 64.9 km of 66 kV lines.
   • A two-year plan to underground 250 km of critical power lines required.

4. Conservation Initiatives:

   • Directions to manage habitats via ex-situ (artificial breeding) and in-situ (natural habitat maintenance) measures, focusing on ecosystem restoration and predator management.
   • Use of a “jump-start” method involving swapping infertile GIB eggs with fertile ones from Rajasthan to encourage successful hatchling rearing.
   • GPS tagging of GIBs for monitoring and research purposes.

Compliance and Deadline:

• The Supreme Court mandated that all rerouting and undergrounding works must commence immediately and be completed before 2028.

Environmental Context:

• Acknowledged the need for balancing the conservation of GIB with India's commitment to increasing clean energy capacities as per international climate agreements.
• Highlighted the necessity for strategies that address both wildlife conservation and infrastructure development.

Expert Commentary:

• Conservationists expressed concerns over the exclusion of certain crucial habitats and voiced the need for comprehensive protection plans for adjacent ecosystems.

Conclusion

The Supreme Court's ruling represents a pivotal step in addressing the threats to the Great Indian Bustard while also recognizing the essential shift towards sustainable energy practices. This represents both a legal and ecological framework aimed at balancing environmental conservation with the advancement of renewable energy projects in India.