HC seeks govt’s response on power lines in Kurjan habitat

Jodhpur: The Rajasthan High Court has sought replies from the state government and the Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd over the high-tension power lines being laid in Phalodi’s Khinchan — habitat of the migratory birds Demoiselle Crane, popularly known as ‘Kurjan’ in the region.
Hearing a PIL challenging the decision of laying the power lines in the birds’ habitat, the division bench of Chief Justice AG Masih and Justice Vineet Kumar Mathur issued notices to the state government and power company seeking their reply in two weeks.The next hearing will be on October 4.
The petitioner stated that the birds have visited Khinchan in huge numbers every winter season since years, covering a distance of thousands of kilometres.
“In order to keep their habitat safe, during a PIL earlier, the high court had obtained assurance from the state government against laying of high-tension transmission lines in the area of birds’ movement,” the petition stated.
“But despite this assurance, the lines were being laid in the areas of their movement, which would not only jeopardise their existence but would also be a fatal obstacle in their movement in the region,” it argued.
The area was recently declared as a conservation site for Kurjan while fund of Rs. 2 crore for its development was also disbursed. The petitioner also submitted a report by the Bombay Natural History Society stating the high-tension lines being laid by the corporation will endanger the existence of these migratory birds.