Supreme Court Forms Committee To Study Feasibility Of Under Grounding Of Over Head Power Lines To Protect Great Indian Bustard

The Supreme Court on Monday passed directions regarding the under-grounding of over head electric lines in Rajasthan and Gujarat in order to protect Great Indian Bustard from extinction.

A High Level Committee has been constituted to examine the feasibility of under-grounding of over-head power lines.

The Supreme Court ordered that the recommendations of the committee shall be implemented by power-generators and other stake-holders.

A bench comprising Chief Justice SA Bobde, Justices AS Bopanna and V Ramasubramanian passed the order in the case M K Ranjith Singh and others v Union of India.

The bench had reserved orders on April 6.

 "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 power lines. In all such cases where it is found feasible to convert the overhead cables into underground power lines 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 ordered

The following persons are the members of the committee :

1. Dr. Rahul Rawat,Scientist,
2. Dr. Sutirtha Dutta,Scientist,Wildlife Institute of India,Dehradun.
3. Dr. Devesh Gadhavi,Deputy Director,The Corbett Foundation

The Court suggested using of CSR Funds or the funds under the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Act, 2016 (CAF, 2016) for the purposes.

 "Irrespective of the cost factor the priority shall be to save the near extinct birds", the Court said.

"...there cannot be disagreement whatsoever that appropriate steps are required to be taken to protect the said species of birds.In that view, insofar as the existing overhead powerlines are concerned the respondents shall take steps forth with to install divertors and in respect of existing overhead power lines all future cases of installing the transmission lines a study shall be conducted with regard to the feasibility for the lines to be laid underground. In all such cases where it is feasible, steps shall be taken to lay the transmission line underground. For the lines to be laid in future if as per the technical report the overhead line alone is feasible and the same is ratified by the Committee, in such event the installation of the divertors shall also be a condition attached in the contract to be entered with generating companies", the Court observed.

The petitioners, who were environmentalists, pointed out that collision with power lines was the major cause of casualty for GIBs. Study Reports concluded that unless power line mortality is mitigated urgently, extinction of GIBs is certain.

Case Title : M K Ranjith Singh and others v Union of India; Citation : LL 2021 SC 220

Click here to read/download the order