Patna airport safety: Over 3000 trees to be felled

February 16, 2012 19:38 IST

Bihar's capital city will lose its green cover to ensure smooth air traffic operations at the Patna airport. More than 3000 trees will be felled in Patna as they pose a threat to air traffic.

For the safety of Patna airport, trees in the Sanjay Gandhi Biological Park (Patna zoo) are likely to be cut or pruned soon, officials said on Thursday.

The Airport Authority of India and other airlines operators have decided to request the state government to cut trees.

"AAI has identified over 3000 trees spread across 17 acres in the Patna zoo as unsafe for flight operations at the Patna airport," Divisional commissioner K P Ramaiah said.

The Sanjay Gandhi Biological Park has a rich and diverse variety of trees such as semal, bamboo, amaltas, banyan, kusum, arjun and putranjiva.

He said the AAI raised the issue during its airport environment management committee

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meeting at Patna.

The Patna airport director Arvind Dubey admitted that trees in the Patna zoo were proving to be operational hazards. Some of the trees can be dangerous to flights while landing.

"Pruning and cutting of trees are essential for safe landing of aircraft at the Patna airport," he said. According to a zoo official, the state government is under tremendous pressure to remove obstruction in the approach path of the aircraft.

However, environmentalists feel that the trees in the Patna zoo were the only green cover for residents and have urged the government to reconsider its decision.

Two years ago, the state government had to initiate moves to cut or prune trees after the Directorate General of Civil Aviation threatened to declare the airport unsuitable for big aircraft operations, if obstacles to the approach funnel were not cleared.

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M I Khan in Patna