Proposed solar power plants in Gir eco-sensitive zone put on hold amid concerns

The authorities have put on hold three proposed solar power projects in the eco-sensitive zone of Gujarat’s Gir National Park, the only habitat for Asiatic lions in India, after wildlife experts and forest officials raised concerns about them, people aware of the matter said.

An official said a developer sought four lakh square metre of land for building one of the solar parks. “...two solar project developers sought 1 lakh square metres and 50,000 square metres of land in the eco-sensitive zone. The Gir National Park officials gave negative feedback prompting the government to put these proposals on hold. We will not allow such commercial activities,” said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

The official said private companies submitted two proposals and the third one involved a public sector entity. He did not provide details about the generation capacity or investment plans.

The three project proposals needed clearance from the forest department, state government, State Wildlife Board, and National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) before implementation.

NBWL member H S Singh, an expert on lions, said such large-scale solar projects involve human activity, the laying of transmission lines, and their management. He added they would affect the movement of lions and prey including wild boars, blue bulls, and stray cattle. “Large scale projects like these should not be allowed in the Gir eco-sensitive zone.”

He said an area of 10 km around Gir should be considered an eco-sensitive zone as per a Supreme Court order since the government has not demarcated it.

A 2011 Union environment, forest, and climate change ministry notification allowed small renewable energy projects primarily meant for local communities and eco-friendly tourism activities in eco-sensitive zones. It emphasised the importance of regulating activities that could be detrimental to the local ecology.

In a statement on July 22 about the development of infrastructure in eco-sensitive zones, the ministry said the purpose of declaring them was to create some kind of shock absorbers for the specialised ecosystems such as protected areas or other natural sites. It added they were meant to act as transition zones from areas of high protection to areas involving lesser protection.

Jalpan Rupapara, a researcher with over two decades of experience in Asiatic lion conservation, wrote to the Gujarat government this month highlighting the potential risks associated with large-scale solar projects in Gir’s critical areas.

He wrote solar power plants would occupy vast tracts of land within the eco-sensitive zone vital for wildlife movement. Rupapara said the construction of solar plants often involves clearing vegetation which adversely affects herbivores and, by extension, their predators. He added solar power plants pose threats to wildlife, particularly the endangered Asiatic lion population.

Rupapara noted solar plants are typically fenced off, creating barriers that prevent animal movement. He added this restriction could lead to fragmentation of wildlife populations, potentially resulting in genetic isolation. “Obstructing wildlife corridors could lead to inbreeding among lions due to restricted movement, potentially weakening the genetic pool of this already vulnerable species,” he wrote.

Experts said the proposed projects could also increase the risk of human-wildlife conflict with the disruption in movement across natural habitats. They added there would be a higher likelihood of lions and other wildlife entering human-populated areas.

Rupapara wrote that the installation of solar power plants between the Rajula and Savarkundla Taluka borders resulted in a major decline in the lion population. He added the lions in the area became man-eaters, leading to three human deaths within a short period during their construction phase.

Rupapara wrote solar plants are generally considered environmentally friendly, but they can be highly detrimental to all types of wildlife. He added wildlife, including lions, leopards, birds, reptiles, and herbivores, can survive to some extent in industrial or mining areas such as Rajula and Jafrabad Talukas as they have open spaces and vegetation.

Rupapara wrote large-scale commercial solar plants pose a greater threat to wildlife in eco-sensitive zones than other activities even surpassing the impact of industries and mining.

The Asiatic lion population grew 29% from 523 in 2015 to 674 in 2020 when the last census was carried out. They inhabit Gir National Park and surrounding areas across nine districts of Saurashtra. About 300-325 lions were within the 1,412 sq km Gir sanctuary, which includes a 258 sq km national park. The remaining population has expanded beyond protected areas through conducive corridors.