The Supreme Court of India is hearing a case related to the critically endangered Great Indian Bustards falling dead after colliding with power lines running through their dwindling natural habitats in Gujarat and Rajasthan.
- The Chief Justice of India led bench will examine on a priority basis whether overhead power cables can be replaced with underground ones to save one of the heaviest flying birds on the plan.
Centre opinion
- The centre has submitted that only low voltage lines can go underground but not the high voltage ones.
Supreme Court opinion
- The Supreme Court found that an alternative mechanism — to install flight bird divertors — to guide the birds away from the power lines would be expensive.
- The Chief Justice marked that wherever there is high voltage power lines, they can use flight bird divertors even if the recurring costs are high. Wherever there are overhead low voltage lines, these lines can be placed underground.
Power Companies opinion
- Power companies objected to the court passing any sort of blanket ban which would affect over 50 lakh jobs.
(Source: The Hindu)
