Tackling wildlife hazards, incl bird hits: DGCA calls meeting with airports operators on Monday

NEW DELHI: In a fallout of AI 171 crash, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation ( DGCA ) has summoned airport operators on Monday (June 23) to discuss the continuing menace of wildlife hazards , including bird hits. Dirty surroundings and slaughter houses near airports, among many other factors, attract birds leading to bird hits. “The places that have seen a spike will be discussed threadbare to see how this risk can be mitigated,” said an official.
The probe is on into the AI crash and what caused the same will be known only after a report is out. But authorities are looking at all aspects to improve air safety in India, which includes tackling wildlife hazards.
Bird hits increase during monsoon as waterlogged ground forces worms to the surface, attracting more birds that usual. The DGCA had exactly three years back written to airports on the issue. “We are all aware that during monsoon season wild life (birds and animals) activity increases in and around airports. Presence of wildlife in airport vicinity poses a serious threat to aircraft operational safety. All airports are requested to review their wild life hazard management plan for any gap and ensure strict implementation of strategies for wild life hazard management within and also outside the airfield,” DGCA had said in a letter to all airport operators and airport directors in June 2022.
Within the airport, the steps to be taken include: “grass trimming and spraying of insecticides; frequent runway inspection for bird activities; deployment of bird chasers and bird scaring devices; Regular garbage disposal in the operational area and avoiding water concentration and open drains.”
For tackling the issue outside airport premises, the DGCA had said: “Airport Environment Management Committee (AMC) meetings (should) be convened to discuss and review implementation of measures to reduce bird hazard. Frequent inspection by airport wild life hazard management team/AMC to identify sources of wild life attraction such as garbage dump, open disposal of abattoir/butcheries waste and coordination with local authorities for mitigation of sources of wild life attraction.”
Rules specifically prohibit any slaughtering or flaying of animals or dumping garbage in a way which could attract animals and birds within a 10-km radius of airports. “... airfield environment management committees at airports (which are headed by chief secretaries) should take proactive measures on time-bound basis to ensure that no illegal slaughter houses, garbage dumps exist in the vicinity of airports. (these) are source of increased bird activity and may lead to wildlife strikes to aircraft during approach/take off,” the DGCA had told states a few years ago.