NEW DELHI: The persistent menace of bird strikes at Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport has once again landed in the courtroom; the Delhi High Court on Wednesday issued notices to authorities on a PIL demanding urgent action to mitigate aviation hazards linked to illegal slaughterhouses operating in the vicinity of airports.
The PIL, filed by activist Gauri Maulekhi, highlights the alarming frequency of bird-aircraft collisions, attributing them to unchecked proliferation of meat shops and slaughterhouses near the airport. Citing aviation safety risks, the plea argues that these establishments not only violate regulatory norms but also attract large flocks of birds, significantly increasing the likelihood of collisions.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela sought responses from multiple authorities, including the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, Airports Authority of India, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), Delhi Government, Delhi Pollution Control Committee, Municipal Corporation of Delhi, Delhi Development Authority, and Delhi Police.
The court emphasised the need for concrete action and directed respondents to provide details on the enforcement of relevant regulations, particularly Aircraft Rules, 1937.
“Given the concerns raised, replies must not only address the allegations but also outline the steps taken to tackle the issue,” the bench said, listing the matter for hearing on May 14.
The plea demands stringent measures against unauthorised meat shops and slaughterhouses within a 10-kilometer radius of the IGI Airport. It calls upon FSSAI and the Delhi Government to conduct rigorous inspections, collect samples, and initiate legal action against violators.
It also urges the Delhi Police to register FIRs and launch investigations against slaughter facilities operating illegally.
“The primary reason for occurrence of such incidents is presence of slaughterhouses/meat shops/dairy farms and environmental pollution around IGI Airport... Aircraft Rules, 1937, and the Bharatiya Vayuyan Vidheyak, 2024 prohibit slaughter of animal or disposal of any garbage related thereto, likely to attract birds/animals, within a radius of 10 km from the aerodrome reference point,” the plea read.
It further said a contravention of the said Rule constitutes cognizable penal offence. “While the respondents have acknowledged the said six causes have increased BASH (Bird/Wildlife Aircraft Strike Hazard) accidents, no effective measures/steps have been taken by the respondents to curb the menace,” the plea alleged.
Highlighting the broader implications, the petition underscores the catastrophic consequences a bird strike can have — not just for aircraft and passenger safety, but also residents of surrounding areas in the event of accident.
“During 2018-2023, the total number of bird strikes at IGI Airport, standing at 705 incidents, outnumbered combined bird strikes incidents reported across 29 airports in six different States,” the plea states.
The PIL also calls for implementation of a Bird Avoidance Model at IGI Airport, stressing the need for coordinated action through the Airfield Environment Management Committee.
Petition after site visits
Over 500 establishments where the slaughter of animals takes place continue to operate illegally within 10 km of the ARP (Airport Reference Point) of IGI Airport. The Petitioner and her team conducted on-ground site visitations of 19 such establishments in March 2023 and July 2024.
The following areas were visited by the Petitioner and her team: Chanakyapuri, Rama Krishna Puram, Dabri, Dwarka Mor, Kishangarh, Kusumpur Pahadi, Mahipalpur, Manglapuri, Mehrauli, Mohammadpur, Moti Bagh, Munirka, Rajokri, Rangpuri, Sadar Bazaar and Vasant Kunj, all of which fall within 10 kms of Delhi ARP, according to plea.
Strike hazard
The total number of bird strikes at IGI Airport, 705, is more than the combined number of bird strike incidents reported across 29 Airports in six states — Punjab, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand – with a total of 654 incidents.