Lok Sabha Question No. 3838 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-16
Subject: Great Indian Bustard
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Shri Brijendra Singh Ola

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3838

TO BE ANSWERED ON 16.03.2026

## Great Indian Bustard

## 3838. SHRI BRIJENDRA SINGH OLA

## Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government is aware that high-tension power lines laid in the habitat of Great Indian Bustard are becoming a major cause of death for this critically endangered species;
- (b) if so, the number of Great Indian Bustards died due to collisions with high-tension power lines during the last five years and the current year, State/UT-wise;
- (c) whether it is a fact that the Supreme Court has issued directions to lay underground hightension power lines in sensitive areas or the adoption of effective alternative measures to protect the Great Indian Bustard;
- (d) if so, the status of compliance with these directions so far by the Government working in collaboration with the State, State/UT-wise;
- (e) the  details  of  fund  utilised  by  the  Government  so  far  on  alternative  measures  like removal/laying  underground  high-tension  lines,  installation  of  bird  diverters,  line rerouting etc. in the major habitat areas of Great Indian Bustard; and
- (f) whether the Government has any action plan for the coming years and time-line fixed in this regard?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH)

- (a)  to (f) The Great Indian Bustard (GIB) is a critically endangered species, found  in localised  grassland  habitats  and have  been  facing  challenges  of  habitat degradation  and  anthropogenic  factors.  The  decline  in  the  population  of  the Great  Indian  Bustards  is  associated  with  variety  of  factors  such  as  loss  of habitat, degradation of habitat quality, enhanced agriculture, and predation by feral and domesticated dogs, other wild carnivores and associated anthropogenic activities.  The  collision  with  the  high  tension  power  line  and wind  mills  are  also  one  of  the  reasons  of  mortality.  Further,  GIBs  are  also considered as slow breeder.

Hon'ble Supreme Court in its judgment dated 19.12.205 in Writ Petition (Civil) No. 838 of 2019, in the matter of M.K. Ranjitsinh & Ors. vs. Union of India, had also directed actions related to mitigation for transmission lines, including undergrounding,  rerouting,  etc.,  passing  through  identified  priority  areas  for GIB  conservation  in  the  States  of  Rajasthan  and  Gujarat.  The  Ministry  has requested the concerned State Governments for needful action on the directions

of the Hon'ble Court. The Ministry is implementing a 'Project Great Indian Bustard (Conservation Action Plan for GIB and Lesser Florican' in collaboration with GIB range States and Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun for a period of five years. The project includes  activities  aimed  at  conservation  breeding  of  the  GIB  in  State  of Rajasthan,  restoration  of  grasslands,  protection  and  monitoring,  scientific habitat management, threat mitigation and applied research. Two conservation breeding centers have been established at Sam and Ramdevra in Jaisalmer district, Rajasthan. The programme has developed techniques for artificial hatching, chick rearing, bustard husbandry, and captive breeding. The GIB has been bred in captivity successfully under this programme. The GIB centeres  house  68  birds,  of  which  33  are  sourced  as  eggs  from  the  wild

(founders) and remaining 35 are bred in captivity.

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