Panel to study scope of altering power lines in bustard habitat

• The Supreme Court constituted an expert committee to balance the conservation and protection of the endangered Great Indian Bustard bird population with the country’s international commitments to promote renewable sources of energy.

Key Highlights

• The large-winged birds are on the brink of extinction, and one of the causes is the frequent collision with high-powered power cables running.
  • Adjacent to its core habitats in Gujarat and Rajasthan.
• The committee would explore alternatives to balance sustainable development goals and conservation of the birds.

Great Indian Bustard (GIB)

• The Great Indian Bustard (Ardeotis nigriceps), the State bird of Rajasthan, is considered India’s most critically endangered bird.
• It is considered the flagship grassland species, representing the health of the grassland ecology.
• Its population is confined mostly to Rajasthan and Gujarat. Small populations occur in Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.
• The bird is under constant threats due to:
  • Collision/electrocution with power transmission lines
  • Hunting (still prevalent in Pakistan)
  • Habitat loss and alteration as a result of widespread agricultural expansion, etc.
• International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List (IUCN): Critically Endangered

Prelims Takeaway

• Great Indian Bustard
• IUCN