Supreme Court asks Rajasthan, Gujarat to assess power lines

JAIPUR: The Supreme Court has directed the chief secretaries of Rajasthan and Gujarat to assess the total length of power transmission lines and the number of bird diverters required after hearing a PIL to protect the Great Indian Bustard (GIB). The two states have been given six weeks to file status reports.
The petitioners had pointed out overhead power lines as the biggest threat to the survival of GIBs as the critically endangered birds were getting killed after colliding with them. They also submitted data on the deaths of birds in priority areas.
The court asked the attorney general if it was possible to have a safety mechanism such as the one for Project Tiger for protecting GIBs, and told him to consult the environment ministry in this regard.
The Centre sought to modify the composition of the SC-appointed committee overseeing the issue and suggested inclusion of two experts with the technical knowledge of transmission lines.
Attorney general R Venkataramani and additional solicitor general Aishwarya Bhati submitted that the domain experts would facilitate the work of the committee to which the apex court agreed. Earlier, the court had directed Gujarat and Rajasthan to expedite the installation of bird diverters in priority areas to save GIBs and Lesser Florican. A three-judge bench had directed authorities to convert overhead cables into underground power lines.