Bird strike at airport: Chief Minister calls meeting

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has called an emergency meeting tomorrow to find a solution to the bird strike that has become a threat to the Thiruvananthapuram airport. Chief Secretary Sarada Muraleedharan, secretaries, representatives of the Airport Authority, Corporation and Adani will participate. The Chief Secretary told 'Kerala Kaumudi' that since it is an issue that affects the safety of the people, taking risks in this regard is not an option and a permanent solution will be found. According to the figures placed in the Rajya Sabha by the Central Government, 106 aircraft have collided with birds at the airport in the last six years. This is the figure from 2018 to 2023. There were 13 bird strikes in 2024 and four so far this year. The Centre's figures show that there were 17 bird strikes in 2018, 9 in 2019, 13 in 2020, 12 in 2021, 17 in 2022 and 38 in 2023. Meanwhile, the Airport Authority's figures show that there were 239 bird strike cases reported by pilots. 42 in 2018, 34 in 2019, 18 in 2020, 32 in 2021, 31 in 2022, 48 in 2023, and 34 in 2024. The centre's figures include only serious bird strikes.

Waste collection intensified

• The waste from the airport area and Parvathy Puthanar is now being collected at the expense of the Adani Group and taken to the processing centres
• Adani has been spending Rs. 6 lakhs every month for the past six months. It is estimated that bird nuisance has reduced slightly with this
• The operation of slaughterhouses and meat shops near the airport is a violation of Section 91 of the Aircraft Rules
• There is a plan to shift slaughterhouses and meat shops to another place that does not affect the flight path of aircraft.

The steps taken by the Corporation and the Airport Authority to reduce bird nuisance have not been fully effective. Arrangements to avoid bird strikes will be discussed in the meeting.

Sarada Muraleedharan, Chief Secretary