A worrying rise in bird strikes near Shaheed Bhagat Singh International Airport, Chandigarh has triggered swift action from authorities, who have now set up a joint inspection committee to tackle the growing menace. The panel will focus on identifying and cleaning up garbage and dumping sites that attract birds and pose serious risks to flight safety.
The committee includes representatives from the Indian Air Force, Chandigarh Airport, the Union Territory Administration, and the municipal corporations of Mohali and Panchkula. Together, they will inspect waste-disposal zones and ensure strict sanitation enforcement in areas surrounding the airport, where bird activity has been steadily increasing.
The decision was made during a meeting of the Airport Advisory Committee held today, attended by Chandigarh MP Manish Tewari and Anandpur Sahib MP Malvinder Singh Kang and other concerned officers. The MPs reviewed past measures taken to keep the airport surroundings clean and called for a coordinated effort to eliminate all potential bird-attracting sources.
“Flight safety remains our top priority. Every agency must ensure that the areas around the airport remain free of waste and open dumping,” said Manish Tewari, adding that progress on the cleanup would be reviewed in the next meeting within a month.
Data from recent years show a sharp increase in bird-strike incidents at the airport — from just two cases in 2018 to 25 by 2023. Experts attribute this rise to unregulated dumping of garbage and the presence of meat shops in nearby localities, which attract kites, crows, and other scavenger birds.
The newly formed committee will monitor all dumping grounds, identify unauthorised waste-disposal sites, and coordinate regular sanitation drives. Officials also plan to introduce stricter monitoring systems to prevent the re-emergence of informal dumping areas.
Airport officials say bird strikes not only endanger passenger safety but also lead to costly repairs and flight delays. They stress that sustained waste-management efforts are the only way to ensure safer skies for the Tricity region.
