
Bird-hit spike prompts plan to cover Mumbai airport's nearby dumpsites
Notably, the area within a 10-km radius of the Mumbai Airport includes dumping grounds, mangroves and forest land, which attract a large number of birds, thereby posing a threat to air travel.During the meeting, BMC officials stated that they currently do not possess any technology to deter birds. However, they are exploring the use of new technologies to manage waste more efficiently, particularly to reduce wastewater, and a proposal in this regard is under active consideration.Taking note of that, Shelar emphasised the need to invite scientists, entrepreneurs, young researchers and startups to contribute innovative ideas. To facilitate this, he proposed organising a dedicated hackathon to crowdsource practical and technology-driven solutions to the problem.advertisementShelar added that the findings of the hackathon will be discussed with concerned agencies and stakeholders and a report will then be prepared based on these evaluations. He also suggested setting up a State Airport Environment Committee (AEMC) for consultation and guidance on implementing the proposed solutions.Additionally, Minister Shelar emphasised the urgent need to modernise the Versova Waste Transfer Centre, which lies within the airport's funnel zone and spans approximately 2 acres. The modernisation plan should include the construction of a shed cover, installation of an odour control system, and deployment of a mobile compaction unit. He instructed that tenders be issued within the next 15 days and that the work commence without delay.FREQUENT BIRD HITS AGGRAVATE SITUATIONBird strikes on aircraft are on the rise with 20 incidents reported in 2020, 35 in 2021, 36 in 2022, 60 in 2023, and 59 in 2024. As many as three major bird-hit incidents have been reported this past week only.On June 18, a Kolkata-bound IndiGo flight was aborted just minutes before take off in Bhubaneshwar due to a bird strike while the flight was on the runway.Two days later, an Air India flight from Delhi to Pune was grounded following a bird hit. On June 24, an Air India flight from Thiruvananthapuram to Delhi was cancelled following a suspected bird strike just before landing in the Kerala capital.advertisementMeanwhile, there has also been a noticeable rise in the number of migratory birds, such as flamingos, in the Thane creek area. Their population has surged from 10,000 in 2015 to 2 lakh in 2024, as per official data, calling for immediate reformatory measures to be taken.- Ends
IN THIS STORY#Mumbai

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Air India crash: British families ‘receive wrong remains' of victims
Family members of the deceased British nationals in the tragic Air India crash have reportedly been sent the wrong bodies of their loved ones, said a Times of India report quoting the Daily Mail. Two such instances have come up so far where grieving families learnt that some of their loved ones' remains were misidentified before being returned to the UK. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Please select course: Select a Course Category MBA Public Policy PGDM Data Science MCA Finance Product Management Technology others Cybersecurity healthcare Digital Marketing Operations Management Leadership CXO Project Management Data Analytics Degree Management Design Thinking Artificial Intelligence Data Science Others Skills you'll gain: Financial Management Team Leadership & Collaboration Financial Reporting & Analysis Advocacy Strategies for Leadership Duration: 18 Months UMass Global Master of Business Administration (MBA) Starts on May 13, 2024 Get Details Skills you'll gain: Analytical Skills Financial Literacy Leadership and Management Skills Strategic Thinking Duration: 24 Months Vellore Institute of Technology VIT Online MBA Starts on Aug 14, 2024 Get Details In one instance, a family was apparently forced to cancel funeral arrangements upon discovering that the coffin they received held the body of an unidentified passenger, not their relative, as per the Daily Mail. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like The Clever Trick to Cool Any Room Without Expensive AC AiraBreeze Learn More Undo In another incident, the 'commingled' remains of multiple crash victims were reportedly mistakenly placed in a single casket. The errors came to light after Dr Fiona Wilcox, an inner west London coroner, began verifying the identities of the repatriated British nationals after cross-checking their DNA with samples provided by families. 'I've been sitting down in the homes of these lovely British families over the last month, and the first thing they want is their loved ones back,' said Healy-Pratt, who is responsible for investigating and uncovering the complete circumstances surrounding the tragedy, reported the Daily Mail. Live Events 'But some of them have got the wrong remains and they are clearly distraught over this. It has been going on for a couple of weeks (and) I think these families deserve an explanation,' he added. "Family X have no-one to bury because it was the wrong person in their casket. And if isn't their relative, the question is, who is it in that coffin? Presumably it's another passenger and their relatives have been given the wrong remains," Pratt said, referring to the family who had to cancel funeral arrangements. The family who received the 'commingled' remains was eventually able to have them separated and proceed with a funeral service, reports the Daily Mail. Although the remains of nearly all the victims are believed to have been recovered within the three days of the incident, the extreme 1500°C heat during the crash left most bodies severely burnt and unrecognizable. Others were mutilated or fragmented by the violent impact of the crash. This meant that a lot of the families received the remains of their near ones in plastic containers, instead of coffins from the Civil Hospital in Ahmedabad, reports the Daily Mail. In the most severe cases, matches were made using dental records to aid in the identification process. After the crash, nearly 40 officials from across Gujarat, including teams from the Directorate of Forensic Science (DFS) and the National Forensic Sciences University (NFSU), worked to match DNA samples. More than 50 experts from departments including Forensic Medicine, Community Medicine, Microbiology, Biochemistry, and Pathology were involved in the testing. At BJ Medical College, rigorous blood sample collection was carried out. Out of the 261 lives lost in Air India Flight 171 that crashed just seconds after takeoff from Ahmedabad en route to London's Gatwick airport, 52 were British citizens. (With TOI inputs)

Mint
an hour ago
- Mint
Doha-bound Air India Express flight returns to Calicut airport 2 hours after take-off due to technical issues
A Doha-bound Air India Express flight was forced to return to Calicut International Airport on Wednesday morning, approximately two hours after its departure, owing to a technical fault, the airline confirmed. The flight, IX 375, carrying 188 passengers including pilots and crew, took off from Calicut at around 9:07 am but landed back at 11:12 am after the crew noticed a technical issue mid-air. 'There was some technical issue in the aircraft's cabin AC. It was not an emergency landing,' an airport official clarified. The passengers were safely deboarded upon return. An Air India Express spokesperson described the return as a 'precautionary landing' due to a technical error. 'One of our flights returned to Kozhikode after take-off due to a technical issue,' the airline spokesperson said in an official statement. The airline acted promptly to manage the disruption. 'We arranged an alternative aircraft on priority, provided the guests with refreshments during the delay and the flight has since departed. We regret the inconvenience and reiterate that safety remains our top priority in every aspect of our operations,' the statement added. Further, the spokesperson reassured passengers that the alternate flight was scheduled to depart by 1:30 pm. 'Till then all arrangements, like food and water, have been made for the passengers at the airport,' the spokesperson confirmed. Air India Express emphasised that it is committed to maintaining the highest standards of passenger safety and operational reliability. Airport officials also indicated that engineers would either rectify the technical issue or an alternative aircraft would be used to complete the journey. This incident adds to the growing list of precautionary landings in recent months, underscoring the importance of stringent safety protocols within Indian aviation. (This is a developing story. More updates to follow.)


Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
Air India crash: British victims' families receive wrong bodies; multiple remains in a casket had to be separated
ANI file photo Family members of the deceased British nationals in the tragic Air India crash have reportedly been sent the wrong bodies of their loved ones, as per the Daily Mail. Two such instances have come up so far where grieving families learnt that some of their loved ones' remains were misidentified before being returned to the UK. In one instance, a family was apparently forced to cancel funeral arrangements upon discovering that the coffin they received held the body of an unidentified passenger, not their relative, as per the Daily Mail. In another incident, the 'commingled' remains of multiple crash victims were reportedly mistakenly placed in a single casket. The errors came to light after Dr Fiona Wilcox, an inner west London coroner, began verifying the identities of the repatriated British nationals after cross-checking their DNA with samples provided by families. Out of the 261 lives lost in Air India Flight 171 that crashed just seconds after takeoff from Ahmedabad en route to London's Gatwick airport, 52 were British citizens. 'I've been sitting down in the homes of these lovely British families over the last month, and the first thing they want is their loved ones back,' said Healy-Pratt, who is responsible for investigating and uncovering the complete circumstances surrounding the tragedy, reported the Daily Mail. 'But some of them have got the wrong remains and they are clearly distraught over this. It has been going on for a couple of weeks (and) I think these families deserve an explanation,' he added. "Family X have no-one to bury because it was the wrong person in their casket. And if isn't their relative, the question is, who is it in that coffin? Presumably it's another passenger and their relatives have been given the wrong remains," Pratt said, referring to the family who had to cancel funeral arrangements. The family who received the 'commingled' remains was eventually able to have them separated and proceed with a funeral service, reports the Daily Mail. Although the remains of nearly all the victims are believed to have been recovered within the three days of the incident, the extreme 1500°C heat during the crash left most bodies severely burnt and unrecognizable. Others were mutilated or fragmented by the violent impact of the crash. This meant that a lot of the families received the remains of their near ones in plastic containers, instead of coffins from the Civil Hospital in Ahmedabad, reports the Daily Mail. In the most severe cases, matches were made using dental records to aid in the identification process. After the crash, nearly 40 officials from across Gujarat, including teams from the Directorate of Forensic Science (DFS) and the National Forensic Sciences University (NFSU), worked to match DNA samples. More than 50 experts from departments including Forensic Medicine, Community Medicine, Microbiology, Biochemistry, and Pathology were involved in the testing. At BJ Medical College, rigorous blood sample collection was carried out.