Pune Airport is grappling with a new menace: of ubiquitous stray dogs. Fifteen days ago, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) Animal Birth Control Department caught as many as 30 stray dogs from the airport area.

The stray dogs are posing a serious problem to the airport. Two years ago, an Indian Airlines plane had to apply emergency brakes while taking off as a stray dog came directly on the runway. Airline companies have been constantly raising the issue since then.

It had become a headache for the airport and the airline companies raised the issue voiceferously at a meeting conducted by the Air Force authorities two months ago.

The issue has now been taken on the priority list by the airport authorities and the airport director has promise to take up the task of curbing the mongrel menace till the airport becomes completely "dog free".

“We are coordinating with the PMC to curb the dog menace at the airport," said airport director G Chandramauli. “Catching stray dogs is a routine process. But as the number had increased, we tried to streamline it in regular coordination with the PMC,” he said. Chandramauli admitted that the presence of stray dogs was risky as it could cause accidents.

He said that the airport authorities had also coordinated with the airline companies.

“We have asked the airlines to tell their customers not to throw eatables in the airport area. That will at least keep the dogs at bay,” he said.

“The airport authorities had specially requested the PMC commissioner to take action against stray dogs. Our squad went there 15 days ago and caught eight to 10 dogs from the airport itself," said PMC Animal Birth Control Department In-Charge Narendra Thakur. “We also caught 20 dogs from the area around the airport,” he added.