High risk of ‘bird hit’ at site for Navi Mumbai airport, warns study

“Navi Mumbai harbours a very high bird diversity, which is being threatened by fast-paced development,” states the study, which observed around 287 species within 10 km of the proposed site since December 2011.

Written by Neha Kulkarni | Mumbai | Published: November 7, 2018 10:00:45 pm

According to the BNHS, as many as six “globally threatened” and eight “near threatened” species, including the Lesser Flamingo and Black-headed Ibis, were seen in abundance at the site during the study period. (Source: File Photo)

THE SITE of the Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) faces a “high risk of bird hit”, according to a five-year environmental study conducted by the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) between 2012 and 2016.

“Navi Mumbai harbours a very high bird diversity, which is being threatened by fast-paced development,” states the study, which observed around 287 species within 10 km of the proposed site since December 2011.

According to the BNHS, as many as six “globally threatened” and eight “near threatened” species, including the Lesser Flamingo and Black-headed Ibis, were seen in abundance at the site during the study period.

The BNHS will now conduct a ten-year study in consultation with City Industrial and Development Corporation (CIDCO) on ways to reduce bird hits at the upcoming airport. This study would involve understanding the migrating patterns of birds and suggest measures for ensuring minimum disturbance to their habitat.

Continued