The Supreme Court on Wednesday underlined that one of the strongest reasons behind India’s successful tiger conservation programme has been its centralised monitoring system, and hinted that a similar institutional mechanism may be needed for the protection of the critically endangered Great Indian Bustard (GIB).
A bench of Justices P S Narasimha and A S Chandurkar made the observation while reserving its judgment in a long-pending public interest litigation concerning the drastic decline of the GIB population in Rajasthan and Gujarat.
The court asked the Centre whether any dedicated authority — akin to the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) — had been created for GIB conservation. Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati replied that no such body exists, though the government has launched an initiative called Project GIB.
She informed the bench that 68 GIB chicks are currently in captivity and that the court-appointed expert panel had submitted its reports for both Rajasthan and Gujarat. The panel, constituted under the Supreme Court’s March 2024 judgment, was mandated to identify priority and potential habitats where overhead powerlines must be shifted underground to prevent fatal bird collisions.
The GIB, one of the heaviest flying birds in the world, has rapidly dwindled to near extinction. The species’ lateral vision — due to eyes positioned on the sides of its head — makes it difficult for the birds to detect and avoid live wires, leading to frequent collisions, especially around power transmission lines installed near their natural habitat.
The PIL, filed by retired IAS officer M K Ranjitsinh and others, alleges that earlier Supreme Court directions issued in 2021 to protect the GIB have not been fully implemented.
Court Reviews Habitat Data
The 2024 judgment had recorded extensive habitat mapping:
- Total priority area (Rajasthan + Gujarat): 13,663 sq km
- Total potential area: 80,680 sq km
Rajasthan:
- Priority area: 13,163 sq km
- Potential area: 78,580 sq km
- Additionally important area: 5,977 sq km
Gujarat:
- Priority area: 500 sq km
- Potential area: 2,100 sq km
- Additionally important area: 677 sq km
The top court had also earlier directed Gujarat and Rajasthan to replace overhead cables with underground transmission lines wherever feasible, and to install bird diverters in all priority zones.
ASG Bhati told the bench that India has a long track record of bringing species back from the edge of extinction. “We have been pioneers in many projects saving species which were on the brink and are now thriving,” she said, emphasising that the government remained duty-bound to promote conservation.
With the expert committee having completed its task, the Supreme Court has now reserved its verdict. The parties have been permitted to file written submissions within a week.
