Dumping near airfield? Pay Rs 1 lakh fine

To curb bird hits at airports, the National Bird Control Committee has decided to impose a fine of Rs 1 lakh on anyone found dumping garbage near airfields. The decision taken on Wednesday also stipulates a jail term of up to three months for violators. Soubhik Mitra reports.

To curb bird hits at airports, the National Bird Control Committee has decided to impose a fine of Rs 1 lakh on anyone found dumping garbage near airfields. The decision taken on Wednesday also stipulates a jail term of up to three months for violators.

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In Mumbai, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) will be responsible for implementing the new rule. Sitting amidst thousands of hutments, the Mumbai airport is amongst the four “critical” airports hit by bird strikes. The others are Delhi, Nagpur and Ahmedabad, as per a directorate general of civil aviation (DGCA) report.

“The BMC will monitor eateries mainly butcher shops around the airport,” said a Mumbai International Airport Limited spokesperson.

There are about 250 butcher shops surrounding the airport. These violate provisions of the Aircraft Act, 1934, and the International Civil Aviation Organisations Regulation, which prohibits slaughtering of animals and disposing of filth within a radius of 10 km from a runway.

The DGCA has asked pilots and airport operators to be vigilant about reporting bird hits.

A bird hit could lead to a crash or damage the aircraft leading to an emergency landing. The ministry of civil aviation said the number of birds strikes across the country have increased from 217 in 2007 to 241 this year until October.

The menace has also added to airline losses by a staggering Rs 6.91 crore.