Though the Indian Air Force had various measures to clear garbage around the Yelahanka Air Force Station to avoid bird activity, the decision to allow a food court during Aero India 2013 went against their basic advice issued to visitors asking them not to litter so that birds would not gather at the base.
While elaborate steps like flares and crackers and shots were taken by the organisers to ensure stray birds did not hit the flying aircraft, the risk posed by the lack of dustbins and many vendors selling food at the venue seemed to have been forgotten.
Prior to the event, the event organisers and the BBMP had come to an agreement that the garbage generated during the four-day event would be collected and disposed by themselves.
Increased bird activity on the day of the inauguration had seen the bird hazard combat team personnel fire cluster firecrackers into the air to allow a flying display by the French Rafale aircraft. Efforts by garbage management teams were in vain as thousands displayed their ignorance to civic sensibilities.
Empty water and soft drink bottles, tissue papers, empty popcorn boxes and wrappers and were be seen flying about in the open ground and food left overs were attracting a large number of birds. Lack of dustbins forced everyone to just abandon the trash on the ground.
Even retailers who were allowed space to set up their stalls did not have dustbins and were using cardboard boxes to store the trash.