Landfill poses risk to Aero India 2011

Bangalore: India may be expecting its biggest air show ever put up through the eighth edition of Aero India 2011 at Air Force Station Yelahanka (AFSY) from February 9 to 13, 2011 with several countries participating with their hi-tech fighter aircraft. But a massive landfill with mountains of garbage dangerously close by threatens to spoil the fun.
DNA’s visits to Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike’s (BBMP’s) Mavallipura landfill reveal that it is located barely five km from AFSY, and daily attracts hundreds of scavenger birds flying about. These pose a real and grave danger to aircraft performing aerobatics during the big show.
Ace fighter pilots vouch that even a stray bird hitting a high-speed aircraft while performing aerobatics could spell doom. IAF’s pleas—the last one was in January this year—to BBMP to ensure birds do not fly around AFSY have till date fallen on deaf ears even as India’s biggest air show is barely three months away.
The recently enacted Municipal Solid Waste Management Rules lay down that such landfills should be located at least 20 km from any airport perimeter, while the older Airports Act restricts setting up landfills within 10km of existing airports—mainly to prevent birds seeking food from the garbage colliding with flying aircraft.
11/11/10 Ameen Khan/Daily News & Analysis

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Categories: Aero India 2011, Airports Nov 2010, Safety Nov 2010