VISAKHAPATNAM: A slew of measures are on the anvil to address the safety concerns of flights landing and taking off at the airport here, mainly to prevent the risk of bird-hit.

It is proposed to end slaughter of animals at two places in the vicinity of the airport and close a few meat stalls. Measures are also afoot to check straying of cattle and dogs on to the runway.

Joint inspection

The issues were raised at an Aerodrome Safety meeting the district Collector held last month. Subsequently, officials of the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation and the Air Traffic Control wing of the National Airports Authority here took up a joint inspection.

It has been identified that unauthorised slaughter going on in the 104 Area and at Vimananagar may lead to flights suffering bird-hit during arrival and departure. It has been decided to put an end to slaughter at the two places and keep a strict watch, it is learnt.

Risk may also arise from meat shops at Gopalapatnam close to the petrol bunk. Slaughter of sheep and goats and sale of meat has been taking place for a long time there.

The throwaways attract birds. Details of shop-owners are taken to verify if they have licences. Any licence issued in the past will be cancelled, sources say.

Animal welfare organisations at work to tackle the stray dog menace will organise two trips a week in the neighbourhood of the airport to catch dogs so as to pre-empt the possibility of finding their way to the runway.

Awareness drive

Also, cattle are being raised in several areas in the vicinity of the airport and taken out for grazing.

Notices will be issued to cattle owners to stop doing so and they will be told about the dangers involved.

While the GVMC will take care of the enforcement of the measures, NAA officials have been asked to run an awareness campaign. Among them is putting up hoardings in the 104 Area, Gopalapatnam and Vimananagar stating that they fall under the airport safety zone.

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