Srinagar: Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Anshul Garg on Saturday chaired a meeting of the Airfield Environment Management Committee to review aviation safety and environmental issues around the Air Force Station Srinagar.
According to an official statement, the meeting was attended by deputy commissioners of Srinagar, Budgam, Pulwama and Anantnag, the Commissioner of the Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC), the Airport Authority, senior Indian Air Force officers and representatives of urban local bodies.
The meeting reviewed issues including the construction of an emergency access road, regulation of brick kilns near the airfield, solid waste management, removal of unlit obstructions affecting flight operations and measures to address the stray dog menace around the airport.
Officials informed the meeting that one of the three designated emergency exit gates at the Air Force Station does not meet operational requirements for the movement of crash fire tenders. Garg directed the Deputy Commissioner Budgam to convene a coordination meeting with the concerned departments to expedite connectivity between the Ring Road and the airport and prioritise the construction of an emergency access road.
The Divisional Commissioner also reviewed the operation of brick kilns within an eight-kilometre radius of the airfield and noted that a standard operating procedure requiring their closure from November to March remains in place to maintain visibility during the winter season.
The meeting assessed progress on the solid waste management project at the Achan-Soura dumping site, which aims to reduce bird activity posing a hazard to aircraft. According to the statement, the SMC Commissioner informed the meeting that the project is expected to be completed by June 2028.
Garg directed the Deputy Commissioner Budgam to strengthen solid waste collection and disposal in villages around the airfield to minimise bird hazards caused by indiscriminate dumping of garbage.
The committee also decided to direct telecom service providers to ensure proper illumination of communication towers and undertake a survey to identify other unlit structures that could affect flight safety.
Describing stray dogs around the airport as a serious threat to air operations and public safety, the Divisional Commissioner directed the SMC Commissioner to address the issue at the earliest, the statement said.