NEW DELHI: Concerned over dwindling numbers of Great Indian Bustard (GIBs), the Central government has asked for retrofitting of power transmission lines and wind energy farms passing through the habitat of this critically endangered species in Gujarat and Rajasthan to prevent bird collision.
The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy has written to all power transmission agencies and wind energy farm developers to identify critical power transmission lines and wind energy firms passing through the Great Indian Bustard habitats in Rajasthan and Gujarat in consultation with the Wild Life Institute of India) and state governments concerned.
They have been asked to accordingly “take up risk mitigation measures against bird hits like putting up bird diverters on the conductors and painting of vane tips of the wind turbines with an orange colour to avoid bird hits.”
GIB has been put in the Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature and there are only 50-250 individuals left.
The directive comes after a letter from the Environment Ministry that electrocution with the transmission lines and collision with wind turbines are major causes of death of GIBs.
The ministry has launched a Great Indian Bustard Species Recovery Programme in collaboration with WII and GIB range states like Rajasthan and Gujarat, which includes identification of the power transmission lines and wind energy farms in GIB habitats.