- (1.) The writ petition is filed in the nature of public interest seeking to protect two species of birds namely the Great Indian Bustard ( 'GIB ' for short) and the Lesser Florican, which is on the verge of extinction. The existence of overhead power lines is stated to have become a hazard due to which the said species of birds on collision are getting killed. In the pending writ petition, the application in I.A. No.85618/2020 is filed seeking interim directions to direct the State of Rajasthan (respondents No.5 and 6) and State of Gujarat (respondents No.9 to 11) to ensure predator proof fencing, controlled grazing in the enclosure development and to direct the said respondents not to permit installation of overhead power lines and also not permit further construction of windmills and installation of solar infrastructure in priority and potential habitat as identified by the Wildlife Institute of India. The petitioner is also seeking a direction to the respondents to install divertors for the powerlines which has been listed in the application.
(2.) The very subject matter indicates that though such directions are sought against the respondents, the litigation is not adversarial in nature as it is community interest. In fact, the petitioners being environmentalists, are seeking to protect the rare birds which are dwindling in number. It is contended that GIB is one of the heaviest flying birds in the world, about a meter in height and wing span of around seven feet. It has disappeared from 90 per cent of habitat except parts of Rajasthan and Gujarat which is to be protected. According to the petitioners, overhead power lines are the biggest threat to the survival of the GIBs. The Wildlife Institute of India (WII) in its Report "Power Line Mitigation, 2018" has stated that every year 1 lakh birds die due to collision with power lines. The Report concluded that unless power line mortality is mitigated urgently, extinction of GIBs is certain. Surveys conducted by Wildlife Institute of India (WII) in Thar covering 80 km of power lines repeated 7 times over a year found 289 carcasses of around 30 species, including the Great Indian Bustard (GIB). The study estimated 3 bird mortalities/km/month for low­tension lines, 6 bird mortalities/km/month for high­tension lines, and about 1 lakh birds/per year within a 4200 sq.km area in/around Desert National Park, Rajasthan. In terms of GIB, 6 mortalities have been recorded in Thar during 2017­ 20, all due to high­tension transmission lines - some of them connected to wind turbine. Therefore, petitioner seeks undergrounding all future overhead power lines; selected power lines in priority GIB habitat and installation of divertors in potential habitat.
(3.) In fact, it is admitted by the Ministry of Power, Union of India in their affidavit dated 15.03.2021 as follows: ­ "The Great Indian Bustard ("GIB") lacks frontal vision. Due to this, they cannot detect powerlines ahead of them, from far. As they are heavy birds, they are unable to manoeuvre across power lines within close distances. Thus, they are vulnerable to collision with power lines. In case of low voltage lines, electrocution is often the cause of death due to smaller phase to phase separation distance. High voltage lines do not cause death due to electrocution but cause death due to collision." ;