Have Lines : Save Birds

  

 

Context :

SC considers lifting ban on transmission lines through GIB habitats   ..  HT … 20 Mar 2024

Extract :

The Supreme Court on Tuesday mulled lifting the total ban against the installation of overhead transmission lines across 80,688 square kilometres in Gujarat and Rajasthan, asking the Union government to define priority habitat areas for the conservation of the critically endangered Great Indian Bustard (GIB).

Inclined to review its April 2021 order, a bench led by Chief Justice of India Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud asked the Centre to come back on Wednesday with modalities on mapping out critical habitat areas where overhead transmission lines should be completely banned whereas rest of the 80,688 square kilometres could be freed of the restriction.

“We are not justified in putting an embargo on entire 88,000 odd square kilometres. What we will do here will affect the country’s power generation... You are right that we cannot afford to have GIBs become extinct. At the same time, increasing solar power capacity is equally important because it must come from somewhere. If we don’t enhance the capacity of solar power, we will have to rely on coal based thermal power plants,” the bench, also comprising justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra observed.

GIB, with a wingspan of approximately seven feet and a height of approximately one metre, is among the heaviest flying birds in the world. With the exception of several areas of Rajasthan and Gujarat, 90% of its habitat has vanished. Due to their lack of frontal vision, birds are unable to see powerlines in front of them from a distance and are too heavy to move around them in close quarters. The bird is listed as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in its Red List of threatened species. They are also protected under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. It is believed that there are less than a 100 of the species surviving.

Wondering whether a court could pass an order in 2021 directing that all power lines passing through the identified GIB habitats in Rajasthan and Gujarat go underground, the bench on Tuesday observed that experts could be drafted to mark the areas based on the movement of GIBs and pertinent scientific studies.

 

My  Take :

 

Ø  Where there is a Will, there are Two Ways  .. ……………………….16 June 2021

 

Extract :

I am no “ technical expert “

But I urge those technical experts to consider feasibility of the following solutions :

===================================================

WAY # 1 :

Flock Dynamics ………………………[ 04 Sept 2018 ]

Extract :

Scientists have developed an algorithm that enables a flying drone to herd a flock of birds away from a designated air-space, without breaking their formation

The team developed the herding algorithm on the basis of macroscopic properties of the flocking model and the response of the flock

“We made careful observations of flock dynamics and interactions between flocks and the pursuer.

This allowed us to create a new herding algorithm for ideal flight paths for incoming drones to move the flock away from a protected airspace,” said Shim.

“This algorithm will help improve safety for the aviation industry. In addition, this will also help control avian influenza that plagues farms nationwide every year,” said Shim.

 

Related Literature :

Robotic Drones can herd birds away from airspaces 

http://www.caltech.edu/news/engineers-taught-drone-herd-birds-away-airports-82933

 

with regards,

hemen Parekh

www.HemenParekh.ai  /  30  March  2024

 

Related Readings :

For Bustards : Court of Last Resort ?  …………. 14 Dec 2021

 

CC:

supremecourt@nic.in

 

Comments by GEMINI :

Yes, there has been some further development on the concept of herding algorithms in the past 3 years that could reinforce the viability of your suggestion for diverting Great Indian Bustards (GIBs) away from high voltage transmission lines. Here's what I found:

·         Advancements in drone technology: 

Drones are becoming more sophisticated and maneuverable, making them better suited for the delicate task of herding birds.

·         Improved flock simulation models: 

Researchers are developing more complex flock simulation models that can better predict bird behavior and allow for more refined herding algorithms.

·         Integration with AI: 

Artificial intelligence (AI) is being integrated into drone-based herding systems, allowing for real-time decision-making and adaptation to changing bird behaviour.

These advancements suggest that herding algorithms could be a more viable option for diverting GIBs from power lines than it was 2 years ago.

However, there are still challenges that need to be addressed:

·         Safety of birds: The herding process must be conducted carefully to avoid stressing or injuring the birds.

·         Long-term effectiveness: It's unclear how long-term the effects of herding would be. Birds might habituate to the drones over time.

·         Cost-effectiveness: Implementing a large-scale herding program could be expensive.

Overall, while there are promising developments, more research is needed to determine the feasibility and effectiveness of using herding algorithms for GIB conservation.

Here are some suggestions to reinforce your argument:

·         Conduct a literature search for recent research papers on drone-based herding algorithms specifically for bird conservation.

·         Cite credible sources to support your claims about the advancements in drone technology and flock simulation models.

·         Acknowledge the challenges associated with herding algorithms and propose potential solutions or mitigation strategies.

·         Emphasize the urgency of finding a solution to protect GIBs from power lines and suggest that herding algorithms could be a part of a comprehensive conservation strategy.

By incorporating this information, you can strengthen your argument for using herding algorithms as a potential solution for protecting Great Indian Bustards.