Great Indian Bustard Conservation Power Line Mitigation

planned

The Supreme Court of India ordered new safeguards to protect the critically endangered Great Indian Bustard (GIB) from fatal collisions with power lines associated with renewable energy projects. The court accepted recommendations from an expert committee to demarcate priority conservation areas in Rajasthan and Gujarat, reroute or bury overhead power lines based on voltage, create dedicated powerline corridors, and impose restrictions on new power projects within these areas. The measures include burying specific lengths of 33 kV and 66 kV power lines and prohibiting new overhead power lines and wind turbines in the priority areas, aiming to balance GIB conservation with the country's clean energy commitments.