A special environment bench headed by Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan sought response from the CEC on whether the company should be allowed to lay a pipeline covering an area of 241.18 hectares inside the sanctuary.

The Mukesh Ambani-owned Reliance Gas Transportation Infrastructure (RGTI), a subsidiary of Reliance Industries, had said that transportation of natural gas and hydrocarbon was economical, safe and environment-friendly, and would not cause any emissions and congestion in the area.

Reliance counsel Mukul Rohtagi said that the company had obtained the necessary clearances from the Ministry of Environment and Forests, and the Pollution Control Boards for diversion of forestland for the pipeline. Besides, it had acquired the area under the Petroleum and Minerals Pipeline (acquisition of right of user in land) Act 1962 for its entire length of pipeline through non-forest areas, he said.

The company proposes to lay the Hyderabad-Uran-Ahmedabad Pipeline which would be an interconnect pipeline between its Goa-Hyderabad-Kakinada pipeline and Jamnagar-Bhopal-Cuttack pipeline.

The pipeline will pass through three talukas, Shrigonda and Karjat in Ahmednagar district and Karmala in Solarpur district of Maharashtra, which forms part of the Great Indian Bustard Sanctuary.

However, Reliance said, the "pipeline would pass largely through those areas of the Great India Bustard Sanctuary which do not form part of any critical habitat of these birds or other species like the wolf," adding that the pipeline would be kept at a minimum distance of 100 metres from any organised habitat.

However, it added that the project work might cause temporary disturbance to wildlife in the area, since it would involve underground laying of pipeline and covering and restoration of surface vegetation, which would take 2-3 months to complete.