Bird or dog scare at Goa airport every 10 days: CM

Every ten days, at least one civilian aircraft landing or taking off at Goa's Dabolim International Airport faces dangers involving birds or stray dogs near the runway, according to documents tabled by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant in the state Legislative Assembly during the ongoing budget session.

Since January 1, 2014 till date, there have been 224 scares involving civilian flights, most of them involving eagles, pigeons, kites, owls, crows, even peacocks and stray dogs near the runway, states data submitted to the state government by the Indian Navy, from whose base the airport functions from.

In November 2019, a MiG-29K fighter jet had crashed soon after take-off from the Goa airport following a bird-hit.

In September last year, stray dogs forced an Air Asia flight to Delhi to abort take-off after air traffic control personnel spotted stray dogs on the runway.

In August 2019, an Air India flight, while attempting to land at Dabolim at night, was forced also to abort landing after the pilot spotted stray dogs meandering on the runway.

The Indian Navy has already complained to the local panchayats in the vicinity of the airport to clear garbage dumped in open areas.

Chief Minister Pramod Sawant also said in his written reply, that several other measures had been taken by the Indian Navy to prevent bird or stray dog related mishaps, including deploying bird and dog chasers near the runway, frequent patrols and use of technological aides for dog and bird scaring, including thunder boom devices.

The Chief Minister said the Indian Navy is undertaking "systematic control of dog population in association with department of animal husbandry and veterinary services".

( With inputs from IANS )