Published in Dwarka Express on 14.4.24

Who cares Great Indian Bustards (GIB)? It is almost extinct and just about 150 birds are left out. Maybe the research community is cared, for submitting papers on the status or a few nature lovers may cry that the bird should exist for posterity. How many of us are thinking of the extinct birds namely white-rumped vulture or lesser adjutant stork or Nicobar pigeon. Forget these unfamiliar names. What about our House Sparrows? Many of us do not even remember how a sparrow looks like. Kids search google to do a school project on sparrow. When that is the case for sparrows, who knows how a GIB looks like? Interestingly, GIB is the state bird of Rajasthan and deserves special status for conservation.

But the story is different in Supreme Court. The court is forced to strike a balance between green energy and bird conservation. And that too, when India is committed to ZERO EMISSION by 2070. Last week, Supreme Court was on the reverse gear to revisit its 2019 decision 2019 decision restricted overhead transmission of solar and other renewable energy in GIB area of 90000 Sq km. This will impede the ambitious renewable energy capacity of 450 gigawatts by 2030. SC in 2019 suggested underground cables in this area but the task of laying underground cables is near impossible.

Now there is a catch 22 situation. Whether to save GIBs or produce green energy? Court now considers the green energy over GIBs. Logically it may sound correct. But as usual the victims are going to be the voiceless creatures.  SC has appointed a 7-member experts committee to determine the core area of GIB. The committee is expected to submit its findings by July 24. While Green energy is the need of the hour, we hope that certain justification will also be available to the Rajasthan’s state bird. (Picture source: Wikipedia online)