In a landmark decision that provides much-needed clarity for India's renewable energy sector, the Supreme Court has significantly revised the protected habitat zones for the critically endangered Great Indian Bustard (GIB). The ruling, delivered on December 19, strikes a crucial balance between urgent biodiversity conservation and the nation's ambitious clean energy transition goals.
A Shift from Blanket Bans to Science-Led Governance
The court's judgment effectively replaces a previous sweeping mandate that required all overhead power transmission lines to be placed underground across a vast 99,000 square kilometre area in the states of Rajasthan and Gujarat. This earlier order had posed a severe threat to India's renewable capacity targets, as the technical challenges and prohibitive costs associated with undergrounding lines were seen as potential derailers for major solar and wind projects.
Instead of this blanket prohibition, the Supreme Court has now adopted a more nuanced, science-driven approach. It has accepted expert committee recommendations to confine the most stringent restrictions to drastically revised priority areas. The new "no-go zones" are now limited to 14,013 sq km in Rajasthan and a mere 740 sq km in Gujarat.
What the New Rules Mean for Developers
Within these newly defined priority habitats, the court has imposed strict regulations. No new overhead transmission lines above 11 KV will be permitted, except through specifically designated corridors. Furthermore, the establishment of large-scale renewable energy projects—specifically those with a capacity above 2 megawatts (MW)—is completely barred in these zones.
The most significant relief for the industry lies outside these core areas. Renewable energy developers and transmission utilities can now proceed with project planning and execution without the fear of sweeping, unpredictable prohibitions. This brings a long-awaited layer of predictability to investment and infrastructure planning in the crucial renewable energy states of Rajasthan and Gujarat.
Timeline for Existing Infrastructure and Broader Conservation
The verdict also addresses the fate of existing power lines within the landscape. For infrastructure already in place, the court has ordered the selective undergrounding or rerouting of lines of 33 KV and higher capacity. This mandate is based on assessments of both feasibility and ecological sensitivity, with a compliance deadline set for the year 2028.
In a move that spares operators immediate financial burden, the court has deferred the mandatory installation of bird diverters on existing lines pending further scientific validation of their effectiveness.
Beyond transmission lines, the judgment significantly bolsters direct conservation efforts for the Great Indian Bustard. It mandates:
- Restoration of grasslands, the bird's natural habitat.
- Initiatives for predator control to improve chick survival rates.
- An expansion of Project GIB (Phase-II).
Perhaps one of the most forward-looking aspects of the ruling is the introduction of Corporate Environmental Responsibility (CER). This makes species protection a statutory obligation for companies operating within the GIB habitats, formally integrating conservation into corporate planning.
A Precedent for Balanced Policy
Legal and environmental experts have hailed the Supreme Court's verdict as a pivotal shift in environmental governance. It moves away from rigid, one-size-fits-all bans towards a more calibrated and evidence-based framework. This approach aims to ensure that India's critical energy transition—essential for climate goals and energy security—can advance without sacrificing its equally critical and irreplaceable ecosystems.
The decision on December 19 thus resolves a years-long conflict, providing a clear, science-led pathway that protects the endangered Great Indian Bustard while unlocking the vast renewable energy potential of India's sun-rich western states.
