Mumbai advocate files PIL seeking relocation of dumping ground.
The next time you fly in or out of Mumbai, your safety's not only in the hands of the pilot but also the bird that may obstruct your plane's path. A Right to Information (RTI) query has revealed that the Deonar dumping ground, which is about 8km from the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport (CSIA), is one of the main reasons for bird hits at the airport. The slaughter houses in the vicinity of the airport have always known to be the cause of bird hits, which pose a grave threat to lives of passengers.
Taking note of the increasing number of bird hits at CSIA — 13 in 2009 and 3 so far this year — Datta Mane, an advocate, has moved the Bombay high court seeking directives for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to revoke all slaughter house licences. In the public interest litigation (PIL) filed by Mane, he also wants the Deonar dumping ground to be shifted from its current location.
The PIL states that BMC has in utter disregard and in violation to the provisions of Development Control Regulations for the Greater Mumbai, 1991, issued licences to, and allowed slaughter houses/abattoirs/butcher houses to mushroom in and around 10kms radius of the airport. It also says that, even the Deonar dumping ground is located within 10km radius of the airport, which is in gross violation of provisions of Regulation 31, clause (f) of the Development Control Regulation for Greater Bombay, 1991.
The PIL adds: “The main purpose of the said provision of DCR is to prevent ‘bird hits’ to aircrafts. The slaughter houses/abattoirs/butcher houses and dumping grounds in the vicinity of the airport attract birds like hawks, eagles, etc, which can result in grave accidents.” The BMC is thus also violating Article 21 of the Constitution by infringing Right to Life of the passengers and people living in the vicinity of the Airport, the PIL states.
According to the information received by the petitioner under the RTI Act, the officials of BMC had in October 2009, accepted that Deonar dumping ground falls under the 10km radius of the airport. The RTI reply sought from the state government in September 2009, said that there are a total of about 98 licensed mutton shops, 90 beef shops, 16 chicken shops, and 1 pork shop in the wards falling within 10km radius of CSIA.
Mane has urged that the court should direct the Union and the state government as well as the BMC to take immediate steps to prevent bird hits, in line with the international standards in the future. The PIL also seeks appointment of a high level expert committee to monitor and/or study the possible causes for the ‘bird hits’ and suggest measures to prevent/reduce the same and submit a report.
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