Removal of accumulated waste begins at Kolapakkam near Chennai airport

Efforts underway to remove accumulated waste near Chennai airport runway to prevent safety hazards for flights.

Accumulated waste at Kolapakkam, which could be a potential safety hazard for flights landing and departing from Chennai airport, is now being removed. 

After complaints emerged that there were mounds of garbage in Kolapakkam, behind Chennai airport, close to the runway, efforts are under way to clear them. 

Officials of Airports Authority of India (AAI) said they notified the local authorities to clear the waste at the area. Although still some amount of garbage remained, it would be removed within two days, they added. 

AAI officials said they were consistently holding the Airfield Environment Management Committee meeting every month to ensure that there were no safety hazards for the aircraft. “The State government has been helpful in removing the waste in the vicinity of the airport and with other issues,” an official said.

According to International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), though landfills are considered  a standard method for waste disposal, they could attract birds. 

“Landfills in the proximity of airports can increase the risk of collisions between aircraft and birds,” ICAO states. 

Also, Rule 91 of The Aircraft Act, 1937 states slaughter of animals, disposal of waste, garbage could draw birds and animals and hence within a 10 km radius of the airport it is prohibited.