Versova RTS near Mumbai airport to be upgraded amid bird-strike concerns
Two weeks after an Air India aircraft crash claimed over 240 lives, Ashish Shelar, Guardian Minister of Mumbai (suburbs) directed the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation(BMC) to expedite the construction of a solid waste Refuse Transfer Station (RTS) at Versova as a preventive measure to curb bird strikes.
'During the meeting, it was observed that the increasing bird activity in and around the Versova RTS poses a significant threat to public safety, including potential for bird strikes leading to aircraft accidents, as well as general environmental and sanitation concerns,' the minutes of the meeting stated.
The directive follows a June 14 report by The Indian Express highlighting how the presence of an open RTS near the Mumbai airport increases the risk of bird strikes, prompting civic authorities to consider an upgrade of the facility.
On June 25, a joint meeting was called by Shelar that was attended by senior officials of the civic body, Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), Adani Airport Holdings Limited (AAHL), Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) and disaster cell of Mumbai.
'In the meeting, it was decided that the entire facility will be upgraded and the tenders for the same will be floated in the next 15 days. The primary objective is to prevent bird menace for which industrial sheds will be erected over the area to ensure birds like crows and vultures don't hover over the area,' a senior civic official
told the Indian Express.
An RTS is a waste processing site that serves for the temporary deposition and aggregation of solid waste. Mumbai currently has four such facilities at Mahalaxmi, Kurla, Versova and Gorai.
The Versova RTS is located 8 km from the Mumbai airport, spread over a two-acre land, handling an average of 400-450 metric tons (MT) solid waste every day. The waste is stacked on open piles before they are transported in trucks and dumpers, attracting birds as a result.
The Central Pollution Control Board's (CPCB) guidelines mandates that open landfills should be set up at a minimum distance of 20 kilometres from airports and air bases. 'However, there is no such siting criteria applicable for setting up waste processing facilities,' read the CPCB guidelines published in 2019.
'The facility is located close to the mangrove zone and falls in an environment sensitive zone so the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) norms are also needed to be checked while carrying out the work,' the official added.
It was also decided that various stakeholders, including start-ups, research institutions and resident welfare association (RWA), will also be involved to chalk out measures for bird menace. It was also decided to frame a comprehensive policy to prevent bird strikes.
'A dedicated committee comprising representatives from all relevant departments shall be constituted. The committee will coordinate and monitor the implementation of the measures at the Versova RTS. All the departments have also been directed to explore immediate long and short term measures to mitigate bird menace in a sustainable manner, ensuring environmental compliance and public safety,' the minutes of the meeting stated.
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