New Delhi, Nov 18 (ANI): The Civil Aviation Ministry’s National Bird Control Committee (NBCC) has met here and addressed the serious safety issue of bird strike which result in aircraft accidents.

Civil Aviation Ministry Secretary, M.M. Nambiar chaired the meeting.

The meeting reviewed the action taken by the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on directions issued by the NBCC.

The meeting asked the state government to direct the Chief Secretary, the Commissioner or Head of the District in the Airfield Environment Management Committee (AEMC) along with local civic bodies and police.

The meeting recommended amendments to certain sections of the Aircraft Rules to allow for imposing of fine a Rs.100,000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding three months or both for the offence of leaving any animal, object or bird in the movement area of an aerodrome.

Equipments and methods used at various airports both public and private for bird strike prevention being reviewed by the DGCA.

The meeting made online system of bird strike reporting by airline operators has been made mandatory and asked the DGCA to put it on its website so that pilots have been instructed to follow correct bird strike reporting procedure.

The incidents of bird strikes have been increasing one hundred and sixty seven bird strikes were reported in 2006, in 2007, 217 and in 2008, 304.

This year till October 241 bird strikes have been reported to the DGCA. In 2008, till October, there were 277 bird strike cases reported.

This year, till October, Air India has reported 24 bird strikes, Jet Airways- 49, Kingfisher Airlines-60, Indigo-27, Spice Jet-30, Paramount-1, Go Airways-7, 34 by the International airlines and 6 by other kinds of aircrafts.

The financial loss suffered by airlines this year because of bird strike are Jet Airways-8.91 lakhs, Indigo-87 lakhs, Spice Jet-557 lakhs, Go Air-45.6 lakhs. (ANI)