Nearly three years after the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) carried out an ecological survey of the Mumbai airport and its surrounding areas and suggested measures to prevent bird hits, the AAI discussed the recommendations for the first time at a meeting of the Airport Environment Management Committee held on November 13. And that too, only after a recent directive from AAI Executive Director (operations) seeking a monthly progress report on the issue. The meeting was attended by senior AAI officers, representatives of the Indian Airlines and officers concerned of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation.

The Aircraft Act, 1934, and the ICAO regulations prohibit slaughtering of animals and deposition of rubbish and flith with in a radius of 10 km of the Aerodrome Reference Point. Butquite contrary to these regulations, in Mumbai chances of a bird hit for an approaching aircraft begin about 10 kilometers away from the airport over the Deonar dumping ground and increase manifold just metres away from the runaway.

Though the slums around the airport were targeted under the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) cleanliness drive, and action was taken against the hutment-dwellers at Jarimari, Ambedkar Nagar and Bail Bazaar, these efforts have proved inadequate. The vast Mithi river nullah flowing along the airport's perimeter wall has only worsened the situation.

And though the statistics given by AAI in February 1998 indicate a decrease in bird hits, the Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP), a body of professional aviators engaged in enhancing flight safety in India, says it could be purely coincidental. ``Though there is no way birds menace can be eliminated completely, the problem in Mumbai is that enough is not being done to control it. What are waiting for? A big mishap to wake upto the problem?'' Said Capt A M Kapur, president of the Federation of Indian Pilots.