New Delhi, India — In a decisive move aimed at preventing the imminent extinction of the Great Indian Bustard (GIB) and the Lesser Florican, the Supreme Court of India on 19 December 2025 accepted a set of expert-recommended conservation measures. The directives focus on mitigating the adverse impacts of energy infrastructure — including power transmission lines and renewable energy projects — in key bird habitats in Rajasthan and Gujarat.
This landmark ruling in M.K. Ranjitsinh & Ors. vs. Union of India & Ors. seeks to balance India’s ambitious sustainable energy goals with urgent biodiversity protection needs, establishing a legal framework that conservationists hope will reverse the steep decline of these critically endangered species.
Great Indian Bustard Conservation: Critical Conservation Directives Approved
Here are the following critical conservation directives of supreme court;
1. Undergrounding and Rerouting Power Lines
One of the most significant elements of the Court’s decision is a two-year deadline for the Centre and relevant state authorities to implement the expert committee’s recommendations, including:
Undergrounding approximately 80 km of 33 kV power lines in Rajasthan and 79 km in Gujarat within identified priority areas.
Rerouting hazardous lines that pose a high risk of collision or mortality to bustards and floricans.
Restricting all new overhead power lines (above 11 kV) unless placed within carefully planned “power corridors” outside priority zones.
These measures arise from extensive research that identifies collisions with overhead electrical infrastructure as a leading cause of fatalities in GIB populations, which are already critically low.
2. Ban on New Wind Turbines and Large Solar Projects
In an unprecedented step, the Supreme Court prohibited the establishment of new wind turbines and solar parks exceeding 2 MW capacity within the revised priority conservation zones of Rajasthan and Gujarat.
While renewable energy is vital for combating climate change, unchecked development poses clear threats to grassland ecosystems that these birds depend on.
The Court’s nuanced approach attempts to reconcile ecological protection with India’s climate goals, emphasizing that neither should be pursued at the total expense of the other.
Revised Priority Areas for Conservation
The expert committee, composed of wildlife scientists, conservationists, and representatives from central and state governments, expanded and defined the geographic scope of priority habitats to focus conservation efforts:
Rajasthan Priority Area: ~14,013 sq km
Gujarat Priority Area: ~740 sq km
These zones represent critical GIB habitats based on long-term field surveys and satellite tracking data, including breeding and feeding grounds that are essential for population survival.
Great Indian Bustard Conservation: Harmony Between Conservation & Climate Goals
The Supreme Court’s judgment makes it clear that biodiversity protection and climate commitments are not mutually exclusive imperatives.
In its rationale, the Bench highlighted that:
- Pushing all high-voltage lines underground indiscriminately was not technically feasible and could lead to unintended environmental harm through increased reliance on fossil fuels, undermining broader climate action.
- Conservation strategies must be evidence-based, designed with domain expertise, and sensitive to socio-economic realities.
This judicially guided middle path offers a new template for how courts can adjudicate environmental disputes involving overlapping ecological and development interests.
Community and Corporate Roles in Great Indian Bustard Conservation
The ruling also touches upon corporate environmental responsibility. Companies operating in and around priority habitats are reminded that environmental stewardship is a statutory obligation, not a token gesture.
The judgment references corporate social responsibility (CSR) norms, urging businesses to integrate long-term biodiversity goals into planning and operations.
Additionally, the Court acknowledged the role of traditional custodians such as local communities — particularly the Bishnoi community in Rajasthan — whose centuries-old eco-centric practices have historically protected species like the GIB.
Implementation Challenges & Outlook
While the directives are ambitious, several implementation challenges lie ahead:
- Coordinating multi-agency efforts across the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), Ministry of Power, state forest departments, and power utilities.
- Securing funding and technical expertise to undertake large-scale undergrounding and rerouting projects.
- Monitoring compliance and measuring ecological impact over the long term.
Nevertheless, the Court’s decision represents a watershed moment in Indian environmental jurisprudence — one that could set precedents for future conservation rulings not just within India, but internationally.
Read also: Supreme Court Flags Constitutional Concerns Over Rajasthan Anti-Conversion Law 2025
