New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday reserved its order on a plea seeking underground power lines in Rajasthan and Gujarat to prevent the Great Indian Bustards from electrocution and subsequent death. The petitioner argued that the mortality rate in Indian bustards was six, which was dangerous for the endangered species. Overhead power lines caused greater danger to the species, he contended.
The bench led by the Chief Justice of India (CJI), SA Bobde, Justice AS Bopanna and Justice V Ramasubramanian, heard the matter for around three hours wherein the Union of India and the State of Rajasthan opposed undergrounding high voltage power lines. They said it was technically not feasible and if undergrounded, the high voltage power lines would pose threat to farmers and labourers who work in fields all day long.
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Senior advocate Shyam Divan submitted before the court that the Great Indian Bustard was one of the heaviest flying birds, stood at about a metre and more than 90% of its habitat was destroyed. If power lines were not laid underground, then, he said, "extinction of Great Indian Bustards is certain".
On the government's objection to lay high voltage underground power lines, Divan contended that power lines of all voltage strengths up to 8,000km had previously been undergrounded in India. "In India, it's not a novel move... it ensures that there is no transmission loss, reduced accident risk and it can also address high mortality of birds," he said. Citing various states' reports, Divan said that there had been various tenders for undergrounding power lines. He cited the example of Khadar region in Gujarat's Kutch, where a similar strategy had been adopted for flamingos.
Divan sought installation of diverters in potential habitats and undergrounding power lines in priority areas - Kutch in Gujarat and Thar in Rajasthan.
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Rajasthan proposed that as lines above 22kv would be fatal if laid underground, diverters should be hung from power lines. It said it would cost the exchequer Rs 185 crore for 1,285 km of high voltage lines underground and its viability could be fully learnt only after three years. The state, however, agreed for laying low voltage power lines underground.
The CJI is set to retire on April 24 and hence, the court is likely to pronounce its verdict by then.
