Post News Network
Bhubaneswar, Feb 10: Chief Secretary Gokul Chandra Pati Tuesday asked the airports authority of India (AAI) to enumerate telecom towers installed in the restricted zone of Biju Patnaik International Airport (BPIA) and initiate measures to prevent rampant growth of towers.
Pati, who is a chairman of airport environment management committee (AEMC), chaired the meeting in presence of general administration department (GAD), Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) and AAI top brass at secretariat Tuesday.
The routine environment meeting was aimed at discussing issues related to civil aviation safety and curtailing bird menace in the vicinity.
The airport regulatory body and BMC have been asked to ensure that telecom towers should not exceed prescribed height near the aerodrome area. Pati also directed officials to ensure towers should obtain height clearance and no objection certificate (NOC) from the AAI.
According to sources, no telecom tower should exceed 15 metres in height near airport. The signals of towers could disturb air traffic services, an official said.
In addition to this, BMC has been asked to carry out cleanliness drives and lift meat waste regularly from the fish, chicken and mutton shops which attract birds.
Notably, a joint inspection team of BMC and AAI was formed by the former but only a few inspections were carried out in the last six months. An AAI official admitted that BMC top brass are not taking the matter sincerely.
It is learnt that Orissa Forest Development Authority and BMC have been directed to ensure pruning of dense tress having bird nests so that growth of birds can be reduced.
The BPIA is surrounded by 1,138 trees, alongside Pokhariput, Gandamunda, Delta Square and Palaspalli.
Airport director Sharad Kumar said joint surveys to ensure cleanliness around airport would be intensified to arrest bird menace.
