Authorities order immediate closure of unlicensed brick kilns within 8 km radius of Srinagar airport

Srinagar, Sep 13 (PTI) The authorities in Kashmir on Saturday ordered immediate closure of all unlicensed brick-kilns within an 8-km radius of the Srinagar airport to improve air quality and visibility for aircraft, officials said.

The direction was passed at a meeting of the airfield environment management committee chaired by Kashmir Divisional Commissioner Anshul Garg, who is also the chairman of the panel, an official spokesman said.

The meeting emphasised the need for collaborative efforts among the stakeholders to ensure aerospace safety around the airfield, he said.

At the meeting, Garg issued a slew of directions aimed at enhancing airfield safety, particularly with regard to visibility, bird hazards, dog menace, and the regulation of carcass disposal in the proximity of the airport, the spokesman said.

To improve air quality and visibility for aircraft, Garg directed immediate closure of all unlicensed brick kilns within an 8-km radius of the Srinagar airport.

He also called for the implementation of the zigzag technique in the operational brick kilns to minimise emission of pollutants, the spokesman said.

On the issue of bird hazards, especially the presence of black kites which get attracted by open waste dumps, Garg instructed the concerned officials to adopt scientific methods for collection and disposal of solid waste, with special attention to villages identified by the airfield authorities.

Garg also emphasised the need for proper disposal of waste from slaughterhouses and butcher shops.

To mitigate the dog menace in and around the airport, the divisional commissioner directed the Srinagar Municipal Corporation to give priority to dog sterilisation drives in the region.

He also stressed the importance of public sensitisation campaigns to ensure proper disposal of carcasses by the local residents.

Garg urged the officials to utilise the resources under the centrally-sponsored schemes through coordinated efforts across departments to effectively address the identified challenges.

Earlier, the secretary of the airfield environment management committee gave a detailed PowerPoint presentation, outlining the key safety concerns affecting the airfield environment, the spokesman said. PTI SSB ARI