Recently, the Supreme Court of India ordered the laying of underground

Recently, the Supreme Court of India ordered the laying of underground high-voltage power lines in Gujarat and Rajasthan to save the :

Great Indian Bustard
Great Indian Hornbill
Spot-Billed Pelican.
Sarus Crane.
This question was previously asked in
UPSC CISF-AC-EXE – 2022
The Supreme Court of India ordered the laying of underground high-voltage power lines in priority areas of Gujarat and Rajasthan specifically to protect the critically endangered Great Indian Bustard (GIB). These birds, which are large ground-dwelling birds, have poor frontal vision and are highly susceptible to collisions with overhead power lines, which is a major cause of their mortality.
– The Great Indian Bustard is a critically endangered bird species found in arid and semi-arid grasslands of India and Pakistan.
– Overhead power lines are a significant threat to the survival of GIB due to bird collisions.
– The Supreme Court intervened to mandate mitigation measures, including the undergrounding of power lines, in key GIB habitats.
Other avian species like raptors can also be impacted by power lines, but the Supreme Court’s specific directive was primarily aimed at protecting the severely threatened GIB population in these regions. The proposed action affects parts of Gujarat and Rajasthan, which are crucial GIB habitats.