Mumbai: The recent Air India aircraft incident in Ahmedabad, suspected to be caused by a bird strike, has once again spotlighted the dangerous and illegal slaughter activities taking place near the upcoming Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA), in defiance of aviation safety norms issued by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
Despite a clear advisory from the DGCA banning slaughterhouses within a 10-km radius of airports, illegal mutton and chicken sales continue unchecked in Ulwe—barely 3 km from the NMIA runway. NatConnect Foundation, an environmental advocacy group, has reiterated its long-standing concern over the bird-attracting activities in the area, which pose a serious risk to aviation safety.
“Birds like kites, attracted by meat waste, can endanger flights at NMIA,” warned NatConnect director B N Kumar, who once again urged DGCA to take immediate and stringent action. NMIA is expected to be operational shortly, with airlines such as IndiGo and Akasa already signing agreements with the airport operator.
Following an earlier complaint from NatConnect, DGCA Director Amit Gupta had confirmed that the aerodrome operator had been advised to address the bird hazard. However, Kumar pointed out that no visible action has been taken against the illegal slaughter or open meat sales in the area.
Adding to the concern, the Aeronautical Information Service (AIS) under the Airports Authority of India recently issued a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) highlighting NMIA’s lack of operational readiness. The notice detailed 225 obstacles in the airport vicinity—including hilltops, buildings, power towers, and floodlight poles—but failed to mention the ongoing illegal slaughter activities within the crucial 3-km radius.
Kumar has now escalated the issue to the AIS General Manager, who confirmed that the matter has been referred to the NMIAL (Navi Mumbai International Airport Ltd) authorities.
CIDCO, which administers Ulwe and also chairs the Aerodrome Environment Monitoring Committee (AEMC), is ironically responsible for enforcing the slaughter ban. However, it has yet to act. “We’ve also flagged this serious lapse to CIDCO’s Chief Vigilance Officer,” Kumar added.
Local residents have echoed the concern. Citizens like Karan Chawla and NCP-Ajit Pawar faction leader Santosh Kate said the illegal mutton trade seems to have intensified following the complaints. “It’s not just a safety hazard; it's unhygienic too. Yet, people are drawn to the cheap meat,” Kate said.
With NMIA gearing up to handle commercial flights, activists are demanding urgent, coordinated action to eliminate threats that could compromise flight safety.