Chennai, Sept 6 (BPNS)

With birds hitting the aircraft that take off from Chennai international airport, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) is planning an extensive campaign against dumping of waste in open places as these wastes are attracting birds towards these areas.

Officials with the Airports Authority of India told BPNS that open waste dumping, keeping open boxes to collect garbage, and dumping of poultry waste are the main reasons for birds flocking in large numbers near the airport resulting in birds hitting these aircraft.

Sources in the Airports Authority of India (AAI) told BPNS that the campaigns against waste dumping will be conducted in FM radio prgrammes. The campaign is to promote disposal of waste in a responsible manner.

The airport has the equipment to scare the bird away but according to airport officials, the birds get accustomed to this equipment and later do not evoke fear in the birds.

Even though birds get acclimatized to equipment, the airport is planning to procure water cannons in large numbers as a measure to scare the birds away.

A recent meeting between the AAI officials and the passenger advisory committee has discussed better coordination between the Greater Chennai Corporation and the AAI for better waste management. According to AAI officials,  the lasting solution is the removal of things that attract birds, and removal of open waste dumping is important.