Lok Sabha Question No. 1799 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-12-28
Subject: Bird Hit Incidents
Ministry: CIVIL AVIATION
Asked by: KAMAL NATH, JYOTIRADITYA MADHAVRAO SCINDIA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CIVIL AVIATION LOK SABHA

1799

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.

December 2017) 28th

## BIRD HIT INCIDENTS

1799

SHRI KAMAL NATH SHRI JYOTRRADITYA

## M: SCINDIA

## Will the Minister of CIVIL AVIATION

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be pleased to state:-

- (a) whether the Union Government is aware that a large number of aircraft suffered bird strikes and animals spotted 0n runways at various airports in the past few years;
- (c) whether incidents of bird/animal strike pose a serious risk to human lives and the aviation industry; and
- (b) if the details thereof including the number of such cases reported during the last three years and the current year, year-wise;
- (d) if s0, the strategies/proactive measures Government proposes to take to mitigate hazards 0f bird strikes and animals at various airports?

## ANSWER

## Minister of State in the Ministry of CIVIL AVIATION

(Shri Jayant Sinha)

(a) (b) In the year 2017,1061 Wildlife strike incidents have been reported; The year-wise wildlife (Bird/Animal) strike incidents and animal straying incidents details are as follows:

Tne Increase iS due t0 increase in operation and effective reporting of incidents.

| Year              | No. of wildlife strike incidents   | No. of Animal Straying incidents   |
|-------------------|------------------------------------|------------------------------------|
| 2014              | 719                                | 40                                 |
| 2015              | 764                                | 15                                 |
| 2016              | 839                                | 04                                 |
| 2017              | 1069                               | 81                                 |
| (Till 30.11.2017) | (Till 30.11.2017)                  | (Till 30.11.2017)                  |

- (c) & (d) Only one fatal accident has occurred in November 2015 at Katra attributed to Bird strike: However, damage due to bird/animal strike to the

aircraft has been reported in a few cases:

- Wildlife (Bird/Animal) strike to aircraft has been identified as one of the State Safety Priority.

Government has accorded highest priority for ensuring safety of aircraft from wildlife strike Following steps have been taken by DGCA to ensure safety of aircraft from wildlife:

- Appraised administration of all the State Governments, through communication to the Chief Secretaries %f the States on the importance of the compliance of Rule 91 of the aircraft Rule 1937.
- Airfield Environment Management Committee has been constituted at every
- DGCA constituted teams to carry out the aerodrome inspection of the critical airports for prevention of wildlife hazard;
- aigeweral seminars conducted by DGCA to educate stakeholders on management of wildlife hazards. Details of above steps are given in Annexure-I

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## Steps Taken to Reduce Bird Strikes:

- AIl the state Government through their Chief Secretaries have been appraised vide DCCA DO letter No AV.15023/1/2009-AS(NBCC) of the MHA letter No. 53/1/80Public dated 7.05.1980 regarding constitution of Airfield Erivironment Management Committee (AEMC) headed by the Chief Secretary/Commissioner or head of the District, at airports: have been advised that AEMC should take proactive measures on time bound basis to ensure that no illegal slaughter houses, garbage dumps etc: exist in the vicinity of airports, which is a source of increased bird activity and may lead to wildlife strikes to aircraft during approachltake-off. They
- Airfield Environment  Management  Committees have been   constituted at every airport where scheduled flight operates, to identify sources of stray animalslbird attraction at the airport and take necessary steps for bird strike prevention.
- Rule 91 of the Aircraft Rules 1937 makes disposal of garbage in the open within 10 Kms of the airport as a cognizable offence:
- Rule 90 of the Aircraft Rules 1937 imposes a firie of Rs. One Lakh or imprisonment for a term not exceeding three months or with both, on violators for offence leaving animal object or bird in the movement area of an aerodrorne.
- Regular joint inspection of the areas around the airport carried out by team consisting officers of DGCA and representative of various airlineslstake holders:
- All Airport  operators have been advised to conduct awareness campaigns in localities and schools regarding wildlife hazards and to display this material in Hindi and local language at selected locations where garbage is dumped by general public which attracts wildlife (birdslanimal):
- Wildlife (BirdIAnimal) strike to aircraft has beeri identified as one of the State Safety Priority
- DGCA carried out aerodrome inspection of 18 airports considered critical in respect of Wildlife Strikes and all the findings have been addressed by the aerodrome operators.

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