Underground power lines, bird divertors and more: How the Supreme Court wants to save the Great Indian Bustard from extinction

The Supreme Court on Monday directed the formation of a committee to assess the feasibility of laying down underground powerlines to help save the Great Indian Bustard from extinction..The Bench of Chief Justice of India SA Bobde and Justices AS Bopanna and V Ramasubramanian appointed a three-member committee comprising scientist Dr Rahul Rawat, Wildlife Institute of India's Dr Sutirtha Dutta, and Deputy Director of the Corbett Foundation Dr. Devesh Gadhavi..The Committee's primary focus would be to assess the feasibility of laying high-voltage powerlines underground. This was decided after the Court took note of the fact that the existence of overhead powerlines was resulting in the killing of the birds..In areas where existing overhead powerlines are located, authorities have been directed to take steps forthwith to install divertors. For all future installation of transmission lines, a study shall be conducted on the feasibility of laying underground lines, the order states. The order states,"In all cases where the overhead powerlines exist as on today in the priority and potential GIB area the respondents shall take steps forthwith to install divertors pending consideration of the conversion of the overhead cables into underground powerlines. In all such cases where it is found feasible to convert the overhead cables into underground powerlines the same shall be undertaken and completed within a period of one year and till such time the divertors shall be hung from the existing powerlines.".The Bench has further directed that all low voltage powerlines to be laid in habitats of the Great Indian Bustard shall be laid underground in the future..As regards the cost that would be incurred to install underground lines, the Court said,"Irrespective of the cost factor the priority shall be to save the near extinct birds.".The top court has stated that in addition to curbing the death of the birds due to electrocution, the conservation strategy also "requires protecting the eggs of the said species of birds and the same being transferred to breeding centres for the purpose of hatching"..Additionally, in order to make the birds' habitat predator proof, appropriate fencing is to be provided at the breeding grounds, the Court ruled..[Read judgment]