Supreme Court steps in to protect Great Indian Bustard

 

By- Krishnadas Rajagopal 

Reference Link - https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/supreme-court-steps-in-to-protect-great-indian-bustard/article34075031.ece

The Supreme Court on Monday swooped-in to intervene on behalf of the critically endangered Great Indian Bustards over the birds falling dead after colliding with power lines running through their dwindling natural habitats in Gujarat and Rajasthan.

A Bench led by Chief Justice of India Sharad A. Bobde will examine on a priority basis whether overhead power cables can be replaced with underground ones to save one of the heaviest flying birds on the planet.

Attorney General K.K. Venugopal, appearing for the Power Ministry, however submitted that only low voltage lines can go underground but not the high voltage ones.

The court found further that an alternative mechanism — to install flight bird divertors — to guide the birds away from the power lines would be expensive. In fact, the court discovered that the divertors, with their recurring costs, would end costing more than installing and maintaining underground lines.

But the court suggested treading the middle path.

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Comparison - Diverter - Flapper/Deflector - Warning Ball

COMPARISON – DIVERTER – FLAPPER/ DEFLECTOR – WARNING BALL
FEATURE
Moving  vs   Stationery	DANGLER OF IndoDivert , DUE TO ITS SWAYING AND ROTATIONAL MOTION, FOR SURE GETS NOTICED BY BIRDS.	THERE ARE NO NOTICEABLE ROTATING PARTS, DUE TO WHICH IT MAY SKIP BIRD’S EYE.	WARNING BALL/ MARKERS ARE ALSO STATIONERY OBJECTS.
REFLECTIVE AREA	SIZE OF INDODIVERT DISK IS BIG (9”)… TO BE NOTICED EASILY. OVERALL SIZE OF DIVERTER IS APPROX. 17 INCHES	SIZE OF FLAPPERS IS SMALL. APPROXIMATE 4 INCHES REFLECTIVE AREA OF DISK IS VERY SMALL. ONLY A SMALL PIECE OF REFLECTIVE TAPE IS PASTED IN THE MIDDLE	DIAMETER OF BALL IS APPROX. 20 INCHES- ALMOST 3 INCHES LARGER THAN DIVERTER. WHEREAS WEIGHT OF DIVERTER IS 1/6TH OF SPHERE MOVING, SWAYING AND SPINNING DIVERTER DRAWS MORE ATTRACTION THAN SPHERE
LONGEVITY	NO PARTS HIT EACH OTHER. ROTATIONAL MOVEMENT IS ASSISTED WITH BEARINGS FOR LONGEVITY AND PRECISION. DURING SWAYING MOVEMENT, ONLY STAINLESSSTEEL PARTS COME IN CONTACT WITH EACH OTHER.	Bird Flappers: FUNCTION OF FLAPPERS IS SIMILAR TO CLAPPING. FLAPPERS HIT EACH OTHER/ SUSPENSION CLAMP WHILE BEING USED, RESULTING IN BREAKAGE, WHICH REDUCES ITS LIFE	TOTAL LOAD IS BORNE BY CLAMPS HOLDING CONDUCTOR AND BALL. THIS CAUSES EXTREME STRESS IN THAT AREA, LEADING TO BREAKAGE.
FEATURE
VISIBILITY	DIVERTER HAS LARGE REFLECTORS, WHICH REFLECT SUN & MOON LIGHT. IT GLOWS IN DARK. GLOW IN DARK FEATURE IS EMBEDDED IN POLYMER DURING MOULDING HENCE WORKS FOR YEARS AND YEARS	VERY SMALL REFLECTIVE AREA. NO ROTATION FEATURE – NO BEARINGS BEARINGS ARE ESSENTIAL TO DISSIPATE WIND ENERGY. RINGS DO NOT ALLOW DISK TO ROTATE, HENCE FULL WIND PRESSURE IS PASSED TO CLAMP & CONDUCTOR, RESULTING IN DAMAGE OF SAME.	TO ADD GLOW IN FEATURE, BALL IS COATED BY NIGHT GLOW COLOURS. PAINT LIFE IS LIMITED, HENCE GLOWING FEATURE DIMINISHES WITH TIME.
WEIGHT	WEIGHT OF ONE DIVERTER IS APPROX. 750GMS. IN A SPAN OF 300 METERS , APPROX 28 DIVERTERS ARE TO BE USED. OVERALL LOAD ON CONDUCTOR IS MERE 21 Kgs BIRD FLIGHT DIVERTER IS DESIGNED TO DISSIPATE WIND ENERGY. IT STOPS WIND PRESSURE TO PASS ON TO CONDUCTOR/ CLAMP.	SINCE, THE DISKS ARE ATTACHED BY A RING TO THE CLAMP, THEY DO NOT DISSIPATE WIND ENERGY, THUS DESPITE OF BEING LIGHT IN WEIGHT, WIELD MORE LOAD ON CONDUCTOR. IN CASE OF DIVERTER, DISK ROTATES, SWAYS AND DANGLES TO DISSIPATE WIND ENERGY. HENCE NO LOAD IS TRANSFERRED TO CONDUCTOR	WEIGHT OF ONE SPHERE IS APPROX. 5KGS. IN A SIMILAR SPAN, LOAD ON CONDUCTOR IS 100KGS
CONSTRUCTION MATERIAL METAL	ALL METAL PARTS USED IN IndoDivert ARE CORROSION FREE. VERY HIGH TENSION TITANIUM/ SS-304 SPRINGS ARE USED, FOR STRONG & UNIFORM GRIP		GALVANIZED BOLTS USED TO COUPLE BOTH PARTS OF SPHERE
FEATURE
CONSTRUCTION MATERIAL POLYMERS	POLYMERIC PARTS USED IN IndoDivert CLAMP OF IndoDivert IS MANUFACTURED USING ENGINEERING PLASTIC WHICH CAN WITH STAND CONDUCTOR TEMPERATURE UP TO 90 oC DISK IS MANUFACTURED USING MATERIAL WHICH IS UV STABILIZED AND SELF LUMINESCENT AND GLOWS DURING DARK.	SMALL WARNING DISK IS USED FOR TWO REASONS: 1. FOR WITHSTANDING WIND PRESSURE ABOVE 100KM/HR, EXTRA STRONG CLAMPS IS REQUIRED, WHICH THEY DO NOT HAVE. 2. HENCE SMALL DISK IS USED. LESS SURFACE AREA = LESS PRESSURE ON CLAMP	MADE USING ABS OR FIBRE NOT SELF LUMINESCENT FLUORESCENT PAINT COATING, WHICH HAS LIMITED LIFE
EFFECT OF WIND & STRESS ON CABLES	SINCE IndoDivert IS DESIGNED TO MOVE, IT IMMEDIATELY DISSIPATES THE PRESSURE CAUSED BY WIND, THUS STRESS ON CONDUCTOR IS NEGLIGIBLE	LIMITED / NO ROTATING DISK DOES NOT ALLOW WIND PRESSURE TO DISSIPATE. HENCE CAUSES LOAD ON CONDUCTOR	BECAUSE OF BULKY SHAPE AND STATIONERY DESIGN, CAUSES EXCESSIVE LOAD AND STRESS ON CONDUCTOR

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Bird Flight Diverters A Miracle For Avian Species

Multiple Exploration around the globe well elaborates avian mortalities caused by human-made infrastructures, in the race to provide better and upgraded amenities. These facilities are further divided into three different segments which are increasing day by day:-

• Transmission Lines

• Communication Tower

• Wind Turbines

Acquiring the actual probability of avian population mortality is not an easy task with a frequent increase in the above-mentioned facilities. The level of threats to avians species from the said facilities continues to increase.

Transmission Lines always act as one of the biggest trouble/factors for avian species collisions as compared to other facilities. Powerlines have phase-to-phase and phase-to-ground wire clearances, which leads to avian landing / resting on the Powerline towers and further leads to increased risk of completing the circuit often resulting in electrocution and power failure.

Transmission lines where overhead ground wires are mostly smaller in comparison of the phase conductors are more expected to create bird collisions. Eliminating fixed wires and protecting energized conductors with surge arresters should be taken into consideration wherever possible. The discussed factors are pretty much expensive and even not feasible at all locations. Hence industry leaders came up with an alternative economical solution to reduce avian collisions at powerlines by introducing wire marking devices such as:-

• Aerial Marker Spheres

• Spiral Vibration Dampers

• Conductor Cover-Up

• Swinging Plates

• Bird-Flight Diverters

• Flappers.

Few marking devices that physically enlarge the wire work as a wind sensitive device, inspiring snow during winters automatically increases the risk of wire and power break down due to line tension and stress loads. These devices may also cause physical damage to the conductors.

The output of Bird Diverters was always found up to the mark when it comes to either avian collision or population factors. Different Bird diverters have different specifications and probabilities and hence they cannot be compared among themselves. The efficacy of a few bird diverters that are specifically targeting particular species can hardly be questioned. Bird Diverters execution is well explained if these diverters are easily noticeable and act as a predator to endangered and vulnerable species.

Researchers further state that wherever Bird diverters are installed there should be a min spacing of 5 meters or 16ft between each of them because the probability of collision automatically decreases when the space between bird flight diverters is less.

The brief of worldwide studies well elaborates that Bird Flight Diverters are the most potential rescuer in saving avian species.

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FAQ - Bird Flight Diverter

Large birds, like flamingos, geese, swans and few endangered species, while migrating are at greatest risk. These birds can fly up to 135 kms per hour. (http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Swan)

Due to their size and speed, these birds cannot maneuver fast. It is estimated that average 33 million birds are killed due to transmission line collision in USA alone. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4081594/

Low light conditions during dawn and dusk limit visibility of electrical transmission line conductors. Even during day time, silver colour of conductor merges with horizon, diminishing visibility.

Migrating birds usually travel in flocks. Tail end birds are most vulnerable. The ones at the front obstruct the view of birds at the tail end. Tail end birds, who usually follow birds in their front, do not get chance to change their path at last moment and collide with transmission lines. These accidents are mostly fatal as birds lose consciousness and fall to ground from a great height.

A. IndoDivert works on all type of transmission lines and towers. Its selection does not depend on capacity of transmission line.

B. Model of IndoDivert™ is selected on the basis of wind pressure/ speed in respective area, where it is proposed to be installed.

C. Clamp size varies according to conductor diameter

IndoDivert™ comes with spring loaded clamp as well as fastener type clamp. Majorly, spring loaded clamps are used for convenience and fast clamping speed. Also, because spring loaded clamp can be mounted from a distance, as against fastener type clamp.

Our clamp design is patented.

i. We do not use metal clamps, as they increase conductive surface area of conductor and thus increase transmission loss.

ii. Mounting clamps are made using very high quality UV Stabilized, glass reinforced, weather resistant polymer, hence there are no transmission losses because of these. UV and weather resistance increase longevity.

iii. For uniform application of force by both arms of clamps, movement of clamp is controlled by polymeric gears. Non-corrosive material springs provide grip.

Installing IndoDivert™ is a very simple., though reaching installation point may be challenging.

After accessing installation point, it does not take more than 30 seconds to clamp IndoDivert™ on the conductor.

It is strongly recommended to fix IndoDivert on all conductors. When, diverter is fixed only on top (earth) conductor, it increases the risk of accident manifold. While migrating, birds fly at their best attainable altitude. Finding an obstruction, to avert accident, birds tend to dive down towards gravity, since diving down is comparatively easy (gravity helps) as compared to going up, against the gravity.

While diving downwards, birds steer themselves in between bunch of conductors which increases chances of accident multifold.

For double circuit, since phases are at same height level, we need not fix on both circuits. Fixing only on one circuit (one side) is enough. As per guidelines laid by WII vide their letter dated 4 Feb 2019 Wildlife Institute of India has instructed to install Bird Diverters on all phases and earth/OPGW cables.

As per guidelines of Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India, vide their letter number F.No. 6-104/2019 WL dated 29.08.2019, it has been instructed that spacing between bird flight diverters should not be more than 5m to 10m. It has also been advised that Bird Flight Diverter should be visible at night.

In case of new lines, it is advisable to install diverters before electrification, post stringing.

is possible to install IndoDivert on electrified lines, as well. Here diverters are installed by specially trained technicians.

Guidelines of Wild Life Institute of India say that, for maximum visibility, Bird Flight Diverters must be installed in staggered pattern.

• For example, if there are 4 rows of conductors (1 earth + 3 phases), then first diverter is hung on the top (earth) conductor at a distance of 2.5m from tower.

• 2nd diverter is hung on top phase conductor at a distance of approx. 2.5 meters from first diverter.

• 3rd on middle phase conductor, at a distance of approx 2.5 meters from 2nd diverter.

• 4th diverter is clamped on lowest conductor at a distance of 2.5 meters from 3rd diverter.

• Further all diverters are to be placed at a gap of 5 meters from the previous one, on the respective conductor.

IndoDivert is designed to dissipate wind energy and not to allow same to pass on to conductor. It’s spinning, swaying and swing actions disperse wind pressure very efficiently and effectively.

Average weight of IndoDivert ranges from 800gms to 1200gms (depending of model of IndoDivert)

In an average span of 300 meters (between two towers), at a gap of 10 meters (between two diverters), 29 diverters need to be placed, i.e approx. 29kg weight on conductor, scattered in 300 meters. This does not affect sagging.

This weight can be very easily borne by even OPGW conductor.

Our product range includes products like scary eye, balloons etc, but performance of Bird Marker and IndoDivert Bird Flight Diverter is far better.

Eyes notice moving objects more quickly than seeing stationery objects like scary balloons etc.

IndoDivert™ has dancing dangler which besides moving, flips and rotates, thus comes in notice from a distance.

It glows during dark and its reflector reflects Sun and Moon light, which increases its visibility.

Usage of balloons etc on transmission and signal lines has minimized after experiencing results of IndoDivert- Bird Flight Diverter.

Bird Marker/ Flappers

A. Flappers are designed for low wind pressure areas and for distribution lines up to 33 Kva.

B. Size of bird marker/ flapper is small

C. Bird Marker/ flapper usually are suspended using a ring, which does not allow this to rotate and sway. This only swings

IndoDivert: Bird Flight Diverter

A. Dangler of IndoDivert, due to its swaying and rotational motion, for sure gets noticed by birds.

B. Size of IndoDivert is adequately big… to be noticed easily, but not too big so as to reduce safe distance between conductors.

C. Disk of Bird Diverter rotates/ swings and sways. Rotational movement is assisted with bearings for longevity and precision. During Swaying movement, only stainless- steel parts come in contact with each other. Moving action helps want the bird from a great distance, about presence of obstruction in their flight path.

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