Turbines at Mannar are A Threat to Vital Bird Corridor

Dilum Alagiyawanna, in Daily Mirror,  August 2025

Local-based renewable projects, unlike Adani’s mega 5.2 MW high-efficiency turbines, show that cleaner energy is possible, without harming Sri Lanka’s sensitive bird habitat. 

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The Central Asian Flyway is one of the most significant bird migration corridors globally, stretching from Siberia and Central Asia to the Indian Ocean.

As the world races to decarbonise its energy systems, renewable energy projects have emerged as both a solution to climate change and a source of new environmental controversy. In Sri Lanka, this tension is starkly visible in the coastal region of Mannar Peninsula, a critical node in the Central Asian Flyway (CAF), a migratory route used by over a million birds from roughly 30 countries. Here, large-scale wind power ambitions, notably the controversial Adani Group project, face scrutiny not just for their carbon-cutting potential but for their disruptive impact on sensitive ecosystems and migratory wildlife. In contrast, local renewable energy initiatives, while not free from environmental cost, present a more measured and conservation-aligned approach. This article critically examines the comparative environmental impact of these competing models of green energy on the CAF and Sri Lanka’s rich biodiversity.

The Central Asian Flyway: A Fragile Lifeline

Stretching from Siberia and Central Asia to the Indian Ocean, the Central Asian Flyway is one of the most significant bird migration corridors globally. Mannar Peninsula, located at the southernmost point of this flyway, serves as a vital stopover and wintering site. It hosts around 150 species of migratory birds, including 20 globally threatened ones, within wetlands like the Vankalai Ramsar Sanctuary and Adam’s Bridge Marine National Park.

These fragile habitats are not only essential to avian survival but are also intricately tied to local biodiversity and livelihoods.

Adani’s Mannar Wind Farm: Ambition Meets Controversy

The Adani Group’s proposed 250 MW wind farm in Mannar, part of a $442 million investment, has generated widespread criticism from conservationists, environmentalists, and community activists. Despite its scale and technological advancement, including the deployment of 5.2 MW high-efficiency turbines. However, its environmental footprint has raised alarms.

Habitat Destruction

The project involves extensive land clearing in one of the CAF’s most ecologically sensitive bottlenecks. This includes encroachment into wetlands and habitats legally protected under international conventions, leading to habitat fragmentation and long-term degradation.

Collision and Disruption

Large turbines present significant collision risks for low-flying migratory birds, especially during peak migration seasons. Studies and field reports describe the Mannar project area as a potential “death trap” for these species, which depend on undisturbed flight paths and wetlands to rest and feed.

Inadequate Environmental Oversight

Critics argue that Adani’s environmental impact assessments (EIAs) were insufficient and lacked transparency. Legal challenges and accusations of bypassing due process, including public consultations, undermine the credibility of the project’s environmental compliance.

Species at Risk

Species most affected include the Black-tailed Godwit, Eurasian Curlew, and Bar-tailed Godwit, all of which are globally threatened. The sheer scale and siting of the project pose a disproportionate threat to avian diversity in Sri Lanka.

No More Projects In Mannar: A Clear Policy Imperative

While Sri Lanka must continue its transition to clean energy, the Mannar Peninsula must be designated a strict no-development zone for all renewable energy infrastructure. Its critical role in the Central Asian Flyway, presence of Ramsar wetlands, and concentration of threatened migratory bird species make it uniquely irreplaceable.

Policymakers must resist the temptation to experiment even with “low-impact” or “small-scale” energy developments in this ecological sanctuary. The only truly sustainable approach in Mannar is non-intervention, allowing its ecosystems to thrive undisturbed.

Sri Lanka can and should pursue its renewable goals elsewhere, using lessons from global best practices and degraded lands, not by testing the tolerance of its most sensitive bird habitat.

Media Silence and the Unseen Threat to the Flyway

While financial misconduct and political cronyism surrounding the Adani wind farm deal have dominated headlines, the critical ecological threat to the Central Asian Flyway has received far less media scrutiny. Mainstream coverage has largely focused on allegations of corruption, the lack of competitive bidding, and the opacity of the Power Purchase Agreement (PPA), pushing the environmental dimension to the margins of public discourse.

This imbalance in focus is not without consequence. It has allowed the conversation around Adani’s involvement in Sri Lanka to be framed primarily as a financial or geopolitical issue, rather than one involving irreversible damage to one of Asia’s most vital migratory bird corridors. The ecological significance of the Mannar Peninsula, with its Ramsar wetlands and globally threatened species, risks being reduced to a footnote in a saga that is, at its core, also an environmental crisis.

Faced with mounting public pressure, the current Sri Lankan government has claimed to have revoked the controversial agreement with Adani. However, environmental groups and legal analysts warn that this may be more symbolic than substantive.

There remains a serious risk that the project, or a similarly scaled replacement, could return in a different form under a new name, investor, or legal framework. If so, the threats to the Central Asian Flyway will not have been averted, only postponed.

Unless strong environmental safeguards are enshrined in law, and any future projects in Mannar Peninsula are subject to rigorous and transparent environmental review processes, Sri Lanka may once again find itself repeating past mistakes, this time with even higher ecological costs.

The best option remains to avoid deploying any further disruptive projects at the disembarking point of the Central Asian Flyway, the Mannar Peninsula.

This irreplaceable habitat must be preserved as a sanctuary for global biodiversity.

In addition, Sri Lanka must take decisive measures to prioritise robust environmental impact assessments (EIAs) for all renewable energy developments, ensuring that its pristine ecosystems are not sacrificed in the name of progress.

Cumulative Concerns and Technology Solutions

While individually less harmful, the cumulative effects of multiple small projects can still pose significant risks if not coordinated properly. The key to mitigating this lies in technological and strategic advancements.

Technological Innovations

Modern wind and solar technologies are increasingly designed to minimise ecological harm. Innovations include radar-triggered shutdowns during bird migration, improved turbine blade design, and habitat-friendly site layouts that integrate wildlife corridors and buffer zones.

Successful Global Models

Projects like the Butter Solar Project in Minnesota and the Haar-Salmdorf Solar Plant in Germany demonstrate how integrating ecological planning and native vegetation can make renewable installations wildlife-compatible. Lessons from these examples are being applied in parts of Sri Lanka.

Conclusion: A Path Forward for Green Development

Sri Lanka’s energy future does not lie in choosing between environmental degradation and development, but in reconciling the two through thoughtful planning, transparency, and community-driven implementation. Local renewable energy initiatives demonstrate that it is possible to harness clean energy without undermining ecological integrity, especially in biodiversity hotspots like Mannar Peninsula.

Meanwhile, the Adani controversy serves as a cautionary tale: even renewable energy can become ecologically destructive and socially divisive if pursued without adequate safeguards, consultation, and ethical governance.

To truly honour the migratory heritage of the Central Asian Flyway and Sri Lanka’s global ecological responsibility, energy policy must centre not just on megawatts, but on migratory paths, marshlands, and meaningful public participation.

The writer is a telecommunications engineer turned environmental and wildlife conservationist, as well as a documentary filmmaker focused on wildlife. His core focus lies in driving policy-level changes needed to strengthen environmental and wildlife conservation in Sri Lanka.