Jaisalmer Limestone Mine Near Bustard Habitat
Why in News?
- The Centre's Expert Appraisal Committee has approved a limestone mine in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, with a lease area of more than 250 hectares, about 1.77 km from a Great Indian Bustard priority area, The Tribune reported on 25 October 2026.
- The approval came with conditions based on findings of the Wildlife Institute of India.
- Two larger cement projects nearby were only recommended for terms of reference.
- The Great Indian Bustard population has fallen from about 1,260 to 1,400 birds in the early 1970s to about 150, with about 130 in Rajasthan.
Key Terminologies
- Great Indian Bustard
- A large ground-nesting bird of the Indian grasslands, listed in Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. It is among the world's heaviest flying birds and is critically endangered.
- Expert Appraisal Committee
- A body of the Environment Ministry that examines projects such as mines and recommends whether to grant environmental clearance and on what conditions.
- Priority Area
- A habitat zone identified by the Wildlife Institute of India as essential for the bustard, where activities are restricted. The Supreme Court revised Rajasthan's priority area in its December 2025 verdict.
- Terms of Reference
- The scope and studies that a project must cover in its environmental impact assessment, issued before a full appraisal begins.
Key Issues
- Mine Near Critical Habitat: The approved mine lies about 1.77 km from a bustard priority area. Noise, blasting, vehicle traffic and dust can disturb nesting even when the lease lies outside the boundary.
- Population on the Brink: Only about 150 birds remain, with about 130 in Rajasthan, as The Tribune reported. Each new disturbance carries a high risk for such a small population.
- Cumulative Pressure: Two other projects were taken up in the same area. The UltraTech project covers over 400 hectares, 5.8 km away, and the Star Cement project covers 960 hectares in total, with 280 hectares inside bustard habitat. Their combined impact may exceed that of any single project.
- Collision Risk: The Supreme Court's December 2025 verdict directed undergrounding of 250 km of critical power lines in Rajasthan within two years, which shows that overhead lines remain a major cause of bustard deaths.
- Development against Conservation: Limestone supports the cement industry, which serves infrastructure, so the choice is between economic needs and a critically endangered species.
Key Implications
Positive/Pros/Merits
- Conditions on Approval: The committee's approval came with restoration conditions based on Wildlife Institute of India findings, which can limit harm if enforced.
- Scientific Basis: Relying on the Wildlife Institute of India's assessments links decisions to habitat science and not only to distance from a boundary.
- Caution on Larger Projects: The two bigger cement projects were only recommended for terms of reference, so a full impact study must precede any decision on them.
- Legal Clarity: The Supreme Court's December 2025 verdict revised the priority area for Rajasthan to 14,013 sq km and rejected a blanket order for the whole range, giving developers a clearer map.
Negative/Cons/Demerits
- Buffer Too Thin: A distance of 1.77 km from a priority area may be small for a species sensitive to disturbance.
- Enforcement Gap: Restoration conditions help only if monitored, and mining areas often face weak follow-up.
- Slow Recovery: A bird that lays about one egg a year cannot recover quickly from habitat loss. The reports reviewed give no breeding data, but the fall from over 1,260 to about 150 shows the pace of decline.
- Mixed Signal: Approving a mine near a critically endangered species while the Supreme Court is pressing for conservation may weaken trust in the appraisal process.
Key Initiatives
- Supreme Court Verdict, December 2025: In M K Ranjitsinh v Union of India, the Court revised Rajasthan's priority area to 14,013 sq km and Gujarat's to 740 sq km, accepted immediate undergrounding of 80 km of 33 kV lines and directed 250 km of critical lines in Rajasthan to be undergrounded within two years.
- Supreme Court Order, March 2024: The Court relaxed the earlier blanket direction on underground lines and appointed an expert committee, and held that Articles 14 and 21 are important sources of the right against the adverse effects of climate change.
- Wildlife Institute of India Assessments: The Institute identified priority, potential and additional important areas, which guide appraisal conditions.
- Schedule I Protection: The bustard receives the highest protection under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
- Appraisal Conditions: The Expert Appraisal Committee tied the Jaisalmer mine's approval to restoration measures.
The Environment Ministry's appraisal committee decides project conditions, the Wildlife Institute of India provides habitat assessments, and the Supreme Court oversees power-line undergrounding. The reports reviewed do not give the full text of the mine's conditions.
Director's Perspective
Way Forward
- Publish the mine's restoration conditions and monitoring reports, so that compliance can be checked.
- Assess the combined effect of the three mining projects before deciding on the larger two.
- Complete undergrounding of the critical power lines on schedule, since collisions remain a top threat.
The Jaisalmer approval shows the difficulty of balancing industrial needs with a critically endangered bird. The strengths are the conditions tied to science and the caution on larger projects, and the weaknesses are a thin buffer, cumulative pressure and enforcement doubts. In a Mains answer, accept that limestone is needed for infrastructure, then conclude that approvals near priority areas must be backed by cumulative impact studies, strict monitoring and completed power-line undergrounding.
GS Relevance
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the Jaisalmer limestone mine in the news?
The Centre's Expert Appraisal Committee approved a limestone mine in Jaisalmer with a lease of more than 250 hectares, about 1.77 km from a Great Indian Bustard priority area, The Tribune reported on 25 October 2026. The approval carries restoration conditions based on Wildlife Institute of India findings.
How many Great Indian Bustards are left?
The population has fallen from about 1,260 to 1,400 birds in the early 1970s to about 150, with about 130 in Rajasthan, according to The Tribune. The bird is critically endangered and listed in Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
What did the Supreme Court decide in December 2025?
In M K Ranjitsinh v Union of India, the Supreme Court revised Rajasthan's priority area to 14,013 sq km and Gujarat's to 740 sq km, and directed undergrounding of 250 km of critical power lines in Rajasthan within two years, as Down To Earth reported.
PYQ Practice — Statement Analysis
1 The Great Indian Bustard is listed in Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
It is critically endangered and about 150 birds remain.
2 The Expert Appraisal Committee examines projects and recommends environmental clearance with conditions.
It is a body of the Environment Ministry.
3 The Supreme Court's December 2025 verdict ordered all power lines across the bustard's whole range to be placed underground.
It rejected a blanket order and directed targeted undergrounding of critical lines.