Trees to be cut near Ahmedabad airport to keep off birds

The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) has reportedly asked the forest department to cut down 24 trees near the airport to get rid off the bird and monkey menace.

Sources said that the forest department had conducted a survey and zeroed in on 72 trees on which kites take shelter and monkeys climb over the boundary wall of the airport. AMC officials, in their survey, found that cutting down 24 trees will get rid off the animal menace and stop kites from nestling.

AMC, forest department and officials of Airport Authority of India (AAI), Ahmedabad, have been trying hard for years to tackle the animal menace but without any success. Airport officials say even chopping down the trees may not solve the problem permanently.

“This is one of the measures the committee comprising members of AAI, AMC and forest department are taking. We had suggested cutting down 72 trees. These are trees which the beasts use to climb over boundary wall to enter the airport premises,” said, G Ramana Murthy, forest officer.

“Apart form trees, there are other issues such as garbage dumped inside and outside the airport and residential areas adjacent to airport's boundary wall, which need to be solved,” said an official. 

Presently, the air traffic controllers at the airport keep animals and birds at bay with the help of a team of ten bird chasers, laser guns, zone guns and even dog chasers. However, none of them have been able to control the menace successfully.