In News
- The Centre has approached the Supreme Court seeking modification of its order directing that all transmission cables in the habitat of the Great Indian Bustard (GIB) be laid underground.
- Earlier in 2021, SC has directed that overhead power lines be laid underground wherever feasible.
Challenges/ Difficulties in Implementation
- It has implications for the Power sector, & makes renewable energy remain untapped.
- Poor Financial Conditions of Discoms & affect over Jobs.
- Area falling in Rajasthan and Gujarat contains a large proportion of the country’s total solar and wind energy potential.
- Laying power lines underground will escalate the cost of renewable energy production and hurt India’s renewable energy targets.
- India has set a target to achieve installed renewable energy capacity (excluding large Hydro) of 175 GW by 2022 and 450 GW by 2030.
- These areas were arid areas that required electricity for sourcing water. So reducing wires is difficult.
- The High Voltage lines can not be made underground. And Diverters are very costly to install and maintain.
Great Indian Bustard (GIB)
- About
- One of the heaviest flying birds endemic to the Indian subcontinent.
- State Bird of Rajasthan
- Habitat:
- Untamed, Arid grasslands.
- A Maximum number of GIBs were found in Jaisalmer and the Indian Army-controlled field firing range near Pokhran, Rajasthan.
- Other areas: Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.
- Protection Status:
- IUCN Status: Critically Endangered.
- Listed in Wildlife Protection Act’s Schedule 1.
- Threats to the Bird:
- Hunting, Intensification of agriculture, Power lines.
Indian Initiatives for Protection of GIB
- Habitat Improvement and Conservation Breeding of Great Indian Bustard-An Integrated Approach: The government has released ?33 crores for the conservation of the GIB through this project.
- Its tenure is for five years
- Fund has been devolved from the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA)
- Technical support will be provided by WII.
- Directions of the National Green Tribunal (NGT): NGT ordered a time-bound action plan for the implementation of mitigation measures such as installation of bird diverters and their regular maintenance and monitoring by power agencies.
- A Bustard conservation breeding centre in Rajasthan has been set up in Jaisalmer.
- Conservation Reserves: Great Indian Bustard habitats to be declared as conservation reserves.
- Project Great Indian Bustard launched by the Rajasthan government
Way Ahead
- Install Firefly Flight Bird Diverters, Underground cables wherever possible, declaring Inviolate Area & imposing fine.
Source: IE