Submitted by
chatterjeea
on Tue, 11/05/2024 - 19:28
General Information
Resolution
49228
Period covered
Activities to implement this Resolution from Activity Reports
| Relevant operative para(s) of Res/Rec | Activities Overview | Description | Status | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Capacity building | The Corbett Foundation held training sessions for the forest department personnel in Kutch, Gujarat for conducting surveys of Lesser Florican (Sypheotides indicus). | Completed | Full activity report | |
| Convene stakeholders/Networking | The Corbett Foundation held meetings with the local stakeholders (Gujarat Forest Department, Collector, Air Force Station at Naliya, Gram Panchayat Members, power companies and villagers) to discuss the issues such as grassland habitat restoration, organic farming in GIB landscape, stall-feeding of livestock and mitigating power lines through undergrounding and/or installing bird diverters. | On-going | Full activity report | |
| Education/Communication/Raising awareness | Raise awareness among the local communities and at the national level through media reports, school and community sensitisation programmes, provided inputs for media articles to raise awareness on bustard conservation. https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/great-indian-bustards-recovery-conservation-9430708/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q6r7UQeRrb8 https://english.mathrubhumi.com/news/india/supreme-court-asks-govt-to-save-endangered-great-indian-bustard-1.9253040 https://www.theweek.in/wire-updates/national/2024/03/19/lgd35-sc-bustard.html | On-going | Full activity report | |
| Field activities | TCF has successfully completed grassland restoration project over 55-acre community grazing land in Kutch, Gujarat - Invasive species have been removed (uprooted) to develop the degraded land into a grassland. The indigenous and edible grass species suitable for bustards have been sowed. The work is being carried out by involving the local village community, and a model of controlled and rotational grazing is being practised. Other activities like stall-feeding of livestock and the development of grass seed-bank are also being done through active participation and ownership of the local community. The area is very much within the 'priority' habitat of Great Indian Bustard and Lesser Florican. Based on the success of this work, TCF has secured further funding to implement similar work over 400 acres in this landscape. The work for this has begun in 2024. | On-going | Full activity report | |
| Fundraising | The Corbett Foundation was successful in raising the following project grants for its bustard conservation work: 1. HCLTech Foundation Grant for grassland restoration work 2. Bombay Gowrakshak Trust Grant for grassland restoration work |
On-going | Full activity report | |
| Policy influencing/advocacy | The Corbett Foundation was one of the petitioners in a Public Interest Litigation filed in the Hon'ble Supreme Court of India on the conservation of Great Indian Bustard and Lesser Florican, with a particular emphasis on mitigating the threats of power lines passing through bustard habitats in the states of Rajasthan and Gujarat. In April 2021, the Hon'ble Supreme Court of India passed a landmark order to underground the power lines that pass through identified Great Indian Bustard (GIB) habitats in Rajasthan and Gujarat. During the course of hearing, the Hon’ble Supreme Court has formed a 7-member committee to suggest measures for the conservation of Great Indian Bustard. The Corbett Foundation team member Dr. Devesh Gadhavi, who is also the Member of IUCN SSC Bustard Specialist Group, was appointed as a member of this supreme court-appointed committee. He has played a crucial role in the conservation of bustards and bustard habitat from powerline infrastructure that has proved to cause significant deaths of bustards due to collisions with power lines. The Corbett Foundation's Director Mr. Kedar Gore is a part of the Technical Working Group of the India Biodiversity Business Initiative of the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) for the conservation of Great Indian Bustard. SOPs / manuals would be developed for companies to take part in bustard conservation efforts. | On-going | Full activity report | |
| Scientific/technical activities | 1. The Corbett Foundation has collaborated with Gujarat Forest Department as the technical expert in deploying satellite-transmitters on Critically Endangered Lesser Florican (Sypheotides indicus). In Sept 2020, a male and a female florican were fitted with solar-powered satellite tags. This was the first-ever tagging of a female lesser florican. A scientific paper has been published of this research in JBNHS that has highlighted the threat of power line collision in the case of lesser florican too. The tagged female, unfortunately, collided with a 33kv power line in Maharashtra on her return migratory journey from Telangana. The paper is available at https://doi.org/10.17087/jbnhs/2021/v118/167575 By the year 2022, total 12 Lesser Floricans have been tagged. More birds have been tagged and their movements monitored. The relevant papers have been published and enlisted below. 2. The Corbett Foundation has identified the powerlines responsible for the high mortality of different bird species in Abdasa region of Kutch district. It was essential to reduce the bird mortality from these powerlines until they are undergrounded, as per the Hon'ble Supreme Court's order. With the valuable support of The Habitats Trust's Strategic Partnership Grant (THTSPG) - 2020, TCF has installed around 800 bird diverters on two powerlines. Total four types of diverters have been installed on 11 kV and 66 kV powerlines, passing through important bird habitats in Kutch, Gujarat. The method suggested by WII and international agencies have been followed for the scientific installation to make it more effective. TCF team is conducting a scientific study to check the impact of such bird diverters on the bird mortality. 3. The Corbett Foundation is working on mapping the 'revenue wastelands' suitable for Great Indian Bustard in the state of Maharashtra in collaboration with the Maharashtra Forest Department. The project work is still on and a report will be published in 2024. |
On-going | Full activity report |
Actors involved from Activity Reports
| IUCN Members | IUCN Commissions | IUCN Secretariat | Other non-IUCN related organisations |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|
|
Challenges / lessons learned from Activity Reports
External link(s)
Report status
Published
I. IUCN Constituencies implementing this Resolution
IUCN Members
The Corbett Foundation ( India )
Wildlife Institute of India ( India )
World Wide Fund for Nature - India ( India )
Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change ( India )
IUCN Commissions
No IUCN Commissions involved
IUCN Secretariat
No
Other non-IUCN related organisations
Wildlife Conservation Society, Rural India Supporting Trust, Rajasthan Forest Department
II. Implementation
Activities carried out to implement this Resolution
Capacity-building
Convene stakeholders/Networking
Education/Communication/Raising awareness
Field activities
Fundraising
Policy influencing/advocacy
Scientific/technical activities
Describe the results/achievements of the activities
Recent developments:
To protect the GIB, the Supreme Court of India ordered in 2021 that all high-tension cables in renewable power (solar/wind)project areas in Rajasthan and Gujarat (key GiB habitats) be laid underground.
However, laying high-tension cables underground could make solar power projects unviable for companies, slowing India's efforts to cut global emissions in the fight against climate change. The government, therefore, sought a modification of the 2021 ruling to support power projects in solar-rich Gujarat and Rajasthan
Factoring the trade-off between India’s climate obligations and responsibility to protect the GIB, a three-judge bench of the Supreme Court on March 21, 2024 withdrew its blanket order demanding that all high-tension cables be laid underground.
The Supreme Court appointed an Expert Committee to determine how to protect the Great Indian Bustard the best.
Recent initiatives by Ministry of Environment Forests and Climate change:
The species has been identified for conservation efforts under the component ‘Species Recovery Programme’ of the Centrally Sponsored Scheme- Development of Wildlife Habitats. Financial and technical assistance is provided to the State/ Union Territory Governments under the scheme for providing better protection to Great Indian Bustard and its habitat.
Conservation breeding of the Great Indian Bustard has been undertaken in collaboration with Rajasthan, Gujarat and Maharashtra Forest Departments and technical support of Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun with the aim of building a captive population of the species for release in the wild and promoting in-situ conservation of the species.
A satellite conservation breeding facility has been established at Sam, Jaisalmer, Rajasthan.
In July 2024 The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has approved Rs 56 crore(7 million USD)or the next phase of the conservation of Great Indian Bustard (GIB) and Lesser Florican.
Recent initiatives by The Corbett Foundation:
TCF has been at forefront for GiB conservation
TCF has successfully completed grassland restoration project over 55-acre community grazing land in Kutch, Gujarat - Invasive species have been removed (uprooted) to develop the degraded land into a grassland. The indigenous and edible grass species suitable for bustards have been sowed.
TCF held meetings with the local stakeholders (Gujarat Forest Department, Collector, Air Force Station at Naliya, Gram Panchayat Members, power companies and villagers) to discuss the issues such as grassland habitat restoration, organic farming in GIB landscape, stall-feeding of livestock and mitigating power lines through undergrounding and/or installing bird diverters.
Activities like stall-feeding of livestock and the development of grass seed-bank are also being by TCF through active participation and ownership of the local community.
Raised awareness among the local communities and at the national level through media reports, school and community sensitisation programmes, provided inputs for media articles to raise awareness on bustard conservation.
Recent efforts by Business community
Under Confederation of Indian Industry, a Technical Working Group is being set up to foster a collaborative framework among businesses and local stakeholders and provide informed policy feedback to support the conservation of GIB and restoration of its habitats. This collaboration will focus on the following key areas of intervention identified during the first consultation meeting.
Key Areas of Intervention:
Mass Awareness Campaign on GIB along its Habitats to educate and engage the public, local communities, and stakeholders about the GIB, its significance, and the critical need for its conservation.
Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for Businesses Operating along GIB Habitats for its management and avoidance of any damages to GIB and its habitat by establishing guidelines and protocols for businesses to minimize their impact on GIB habitats and contribute to conservation efforts.
Promotion of grasslands restoration and conservation to restore and conserve grassland ecosystems, which are crucial habitats for the GIB and other wildlife species.
Managing feral predator population in GIB Habitat to reduce the impact of feral predators on the GIB population through targeted management strategies.
Solution to address the shift in crop pattern from Bustard-friendly traditional monsoonal crops to cash crops to mitigate the impact of changing agricultural practices on GIB habitat by promoting sustainable farming practices that balance economic needs and conservation goals.
As reported by WII: Meetings & workshops were carried out jointly with MoEFCC to sensitize power companies agencies and regulatory bodies on the impact of power lines on bustards and the necessity of mitigation measures. Technical inputs to several power agencies & diverter developers were provided to implement power-line mitigation measures in Important GIB Areas. Project team shared evidence-based recommendations on legal issues pertaining to GIB conservation in the Hon. Supreme Court, Jodhpur High Court, NGT Delhi and NGT Bhopal. A documentary film on GIB conservation was developed (available at youtu.be/XR5Z_rA7xd0). Four project personnel were trained in semen collection and insemination of poultry in Anand Agriculture University, Anand in February 2023. Three project personnel were trained in artificial breeding techniques at National Avian Research Centre (NARC), Abu Dhabi in 2022-23.
under their projects Sites in Ramdevra and Sorsan in Rajasthan were selected for long-term conservation breeding facilities. Since the construction and operation of new facilities would require a few years, a temporary facility was established in Sam, Jaisalmer, in June 2019. A long-term facility has been developed at Ramdevra and has been made functional in August 2022. These two facilities currently house 22 hand-reared captive GIB that were secured from 31 wild-laid and artificially incubated eggs. The world’s first captive-bred Great Indian Bustard chick hatched in March 2023 in Sam Conservation Breeding Centre (CBC) at Jaisalmer. This chick has been artificially hatched from an egg laid by a captive-reared bird via natural breeding. Conservation Breeding of LF was commenced in a temporary centre at Bijainagar, Ajmer from 2020 which houses eight LF from wild collected artificially hatched eggs, which are being reared following similar approach. A Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the WII and the IFHC for bustard conservation in September 2022. 3-member committee has been formed to monitor and instruct on how and where to underground the high-voltage lines (130 kV and above, as per the affidavit filed by Power Ministry), till then the bird-diverters should be installed on such lines with immediate effect. Dr. Rahul Rawat, Scientist at Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, Dr. Sutirtha Dutta, Scientist at Wildlife Institute of India, and Mr. Devesh Gadhavi, Scientist and Deputy Director of The Corbett Foundation, have been appointed as the Members of this Committee.
The Corbett Foundation (TCF) has worked with Gujarat Forest Dept. to carry out trainings on satellite tagging the birds, designing/installing bird diverters on powerlinesetc. TCF also carried out extensive field activities for development and restoration of 55 acre community grazing land in Kutch, Gujarat to create suitable habitat for GIB. Several technical studies have been carried out With the valuable support of The Habitats Trust's Strategic Partnership Grant (THTSPG) - 2020, TCF has installed around 800 bird diverters on two powerlines. Communication and awareness raising has also been carried out in form of national and state level media reports, community sensitisation workshops.
To protect the GIB, the Supreme Court of India ordered in 2021 that all high-tension cables in renewable power (solar/wind)project areas in Rajasthan and Gujarat (key GiB habitats) be laid underground.
However, laying high-tension cables underground could make solar power projects unviable for companies, slowing India's efforts to cut global emissions in the fight against climate change. The government, therefore, sought a modification of the 2021 ruling to support power projects in solar-rich Gujarat and Rajasthan
Factoring the trade-off between India’s climate obligations and responsibility to protect the GIB, a three-judge bench of the Supreme Court on March 21, 2024 withdrew its blanket order demanding that all high-tension cables be laid underground.
The Supreme Court appointed an Expert Committee to determine how to protect the Great Indian Bustard the best.
Recent initiatives by Ministry of Environment Forests and Climate change:
The species has been identified for conservation efforts under the component ‘Species Recovery Programme’ of the Centrally Sponsored Scheme- Development of Wildlife Habitats. Financial and technical assistance is provided to the State/ Union Territory Governments under the scheme for providing better protection to Great Indian Bustard and its habitat.
Conservation breeding of the Great Indian Bustard has been undertaken in collaboration with Rajasthan, Gujarat and Maharashtra Forest Departments and technical support of Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun with the aim of building a captive population of the species for release in the wild and promoting in-situ conservation of the species.
A satellite conservation breeding facility has been established at Sam, Jaisalmer, Rajasthan.
In July 2024 The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has approved Rs 56 crore(7 million USD)or the next phase of the conservation of Great Indian Bustard (GIB) and Lesser Florican.
Recent initiatives by The Corbett Foundation:
TCF has been at forefront for GiB conservation
TCF has successfully completed grassland restoration project over 55-acre community grazing land in Kutch, Gujarat - Invasive species have been removed (uprooted) to develop the degraded land into a grassland. The indigenous and edible grass species suitable for bustards have been sowed.
TCF held meetings with the local stakeholders (Gujarat Forest Department, Collector, Air Force Station at Naliya, Gram Panchayat Members, power companies and villagers) to discuss the issues such as grassland habitat restoration, organic farming in GIB landscape, stall-feeding of livestock and mitigating power lines through undergrounding and/or installing bird diverters.
Activities like stall-feeding of livestock and the development of grass seed-bank are also being by TCF through active participation and ownership of the local community.
Raised awareness among the local communities and at the national level through media reports, school and community sensitisation programmes, provided inputs for media articles to raise awareness on bustard conservation.
Recent efforts by Business community
Under Confederation of Indian Industry, a Technical Working Group is being set up to foster a collaborative framework among businesses and local stakeholders and provide informed policy feedback to support the conservation of GIB and restoration of its habitats. This collaboration will focus on the following key areas of intervention identified during the first consultation meeting.
Key Areas of Intervention:
Mass Awareness Campaign on GIB along its Habitats to educate and engage the public, local communities, and stakeholders about the GIB, its significance, and the critical need for its conservation.
Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for Businesses Operating along GIB Habitats for its management and avoidance of any damages to GIB and its habitat by establishing guidelines and protocols for businesses to minimize their impact on GIB habitats and contribute to conservation efforts.
Promotion of grasslands restoration and conservation to restore and conserve grassland ecosystems, which are crucial habitats for the GIB and other wildlife species.
Managing feral predator population in GIB Habitat to reduce the impact of feral predators on the GIB population through targeted management strategies.
Solution to address the shift in crop pattern from Bustard-friendly traditional monsoonal crops to cash crops to mitigate the impact of changing agricultural practices on GIB habitat by promoting sustainable farming practices that balance economic needs and conservation goals.
As reported by WII: Meetings & workshops were carried out jointly with MoEFCC to sensitize power companies agencies and regulatory bodies on the impact of power lines on bustards and the necessity of mitigation measures. Technical inputs to several power agencies & diverter developers were provided to implement power-line mitigation measures in Important GIB Areas. Project team shared evidence-based recommendations on legal issues pertaining to GIB conservation in the Hon. Supreme Court, Jodhpur High Court, NGT Delhi and NGT Bhopal. A documentary film on GIB conservation was developed (available at youtu.be/XR5Z_rA7xd0). Four project personnel were trained in semen collection and insemination of poultry in Anand Agriculture University, Anand in February 2023. Three project personnel were trained in artificial breeding techniques at National Avian Research Centre (NARC), Abu Dhabi in 2022-23.
under their projects Sites in Ramdevra and Sorsan in Rajasthan were selected for long-term conservation breeding facilities. Since the construction and operation of new facilities would require a few years, a temporary facility was established in Sam, Jaisalmer, in June 2019. A long-term facility has been developed at Ramdevra and has been made functional in August 2022. These two facilities currently house 22 hand-reared captive GIB that were secured from 31 wild-laid and artificially incubated eggs. The world’s first captive-bred Great Indian Bustard chick hatched in March 2023 in Sam Conservation Breeding Centre (CBC) at Jaisalmer. This chick has been artificially hatched from an egg laid by a captive-reared bird via natural breeding. Conservation Breeding of LF was commenced in a temporary centre at Bijainagar, Ajmer from 2020 which houses eight LF from wild collected artificially hatched eggs, which are being reared following similar approach. A Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the WII and the IFHC for bustard conservation in September 2022. 3-member committee has been formed to monitor and instruct on how and where to underground the high-voltage lines (130 kV and above, as per the affidavit filed by Power Ministry), till then the bird-diverters should be installed on such lines with immediate effect. Dr. Rahul Rawat, Scientist at Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, Dr. Sutirtha Dutta, Scientist at Wildlife Institute of India, and Mr. Devesh Gadhavi, Scientist and Deputy Director of The Corbett Foundation, have been appointed as the Members of this Committee.
The Corbett Foundation (TCF) has worked with Gujarat Forest Dept. to carry out trainings on satellite tagging the birds, designing/installing bird diverters on powerlinesetc. TCF also carried out extensive field activities for development and restoration of 55 acre community grazing land in Kutch, Gujarat to create suitable habitat for GIB. Several technical studies have been carried out With the valuable support of The Habitats Trust's Strategic Partnership Grant (THTSPG) - 2020, TCF has installed around 800 bird diverters on two powerlines. Communication and awareness raising has also been carried out in form of national and state level media reports, community sensitisation workshops.
Challenges/obstacles encountered in the implementation of this Resolution and measures taken
IUCN India Country Office has not been taking up activities for this species , however IUCN Members have been actively working for the conservation of this species. Since new IUCN India Country Representative has joined office the networking, fundraising and other such initiatives can be taken up in collaboration with the IUCN Members and other government agencies.
Future actions / activities needed for the implementation of this Resolution
One of the key action is to track , alongwith Members and other organisations the implementation of the Supreme court order on undergrounding powerlines. Convening meetings with Ministry of Power , Min of Renewable Energy is also required. Technical research on Habitat improvement and breeding programme is being carried out by WII. IUCN could support the implementation through fundraising and support to local NGOs State governments.A research centre to conserve the rare Great Indian Bustard (GIB) is all set to come up in Ballari district.The Karnataka government has agreed to sanction Rs 24 crore to set up the research centre In Karnataka, Siruguppa taluk has a GIB conservation area, which has the last surviving six birds in the state. Future strategy is to do artificial insemination for GIBs to build their gene pool and improve their numbers in the wild. Extensive communication campaign needs to be carried out. Private sector financing could also be leveraged.
Are these actions/activities planned?
Yes
III. Status of implementation
Implementation status of this Resolution
Underway: implementation well-advanced