In focus mainly is the Great Indian Bustard, a critically endangered bird species found on the Indian subcontinent
New Delhi: The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has asked wind energy developers and power transmission companies to take risk mitigation measures to avoid bird collisions with wind turbines and their electrocution with power lines.
In focus mainly is the Great Indian Bustard (GIB), a critically endangered bird species found on the Indian subcontinent. “Electrocution with the transmission lines and collision with wind turbines of wind energy farms are major causes of death of the GIB birds in Rajasthan and Gujarat,” MNRE said in a circular on Tuesday.
In a recent research an international team of scientists studied the effects of wind turbine use in the Western Ghats. Wind farms are known to be harmful to birds, causing disruption in their migration patterns and resulting in above average death rates.
The advisory is addressed to wind farm developers including Suzlon, Greenko, Mytrah Vayu and Wind World apart from the power ministry, Central Electricity Authority (CEA) and Power Grid.
It says the ministry has taken few measures to ensure safety of GIB and other migratory bird species.
First, it has introduced a Great Indian Bustard Species Recovery Programme in collaboration with the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) and GIB range states. This includes identifying critical power transmission lines and wind energy farms in GIB habitats and then making them GIB friendly.
Second, the animal passage plan. A Standing Committee of National Board of Wildlife made the submission of the plan – prepared on the basis of WII guidelines – mandatory for considering approval of any new linear infrastructure project proposal passing through protected areas and other wildlife rich areas.
The guidelines suggest installing bird diverters on the conductors of the power transmission lines.
Third, the ministry plans to constitute an inter-ministerial taskforce comprising officers of the Ministry of Power, PGCIL, CEA and the environment ministry for suggesting measures to avoid deaths of birds and other animals due to transmission lines.
Lastly, the Forest Advisory Committee has made it mandatory for power transmission line agencies to deploy bird diverters on conductors and painting the vane tips of wind turbines with orange colour to avoid bird hits.
Source: energy.economictimes.indiatimes
