Chennai: “Chennai airport authorities shoot birds posing threat to aircraft by hiring gypsies” was the echoed sentiment that trended in WhatsApp on Wednesday.
The activists response came after a private channel in its news update said that hired gypsies are shooting birds on airport premises. According to airport sources, a scribe who noticed gypsies near the runway shared the news of spotting narikuravas targeting birds. The final interpretation was that the age old practice of bursting crackers to shoo away crows and pigeons turned in to an event of culling birds, sources said.
When contacted, Chennai airport director Deepak Shastri said it is an age-old practice to use crackers to shoo away birds in the morning and evening hours.
There is nothing new in it. In fact the work has been awarded to a contractor, who hires gypsies and casual workers and we know that the killing of birds is a crime, the director added.
However, local foresters following the media goof up were alerted to check whether gypsies were shooting birds outside the airport premises near Pallavaram area.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) in its recent report on Chennai airport has declared that city airport continues to face the threat of birds hitting the aircraft as nearby local bodies fail to segregate waste inviting small birds and raptors to feed on.
