OUAT seeks Rs 15L compensation to clear coconut trees from airport flight path

Bhubaneswar: Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT) has agreed to trim or remove 150 tall coconut trees from its land adjacent to Biju Patnaik International Airport (BPIA) against payment of Rs 15 lakhs as compensation in view of BPIA’s missive calling for the same for safety of aircraft take-off and landing.

BPIA director Prasanna Pradhan said pilots of some airlines had recently conveyed their concern that coconut trees had grown very tall and landing from the Baramunda-OUAT side was fraught with risk. OUAT, in a letter to the transport dept, has demanded Rs 10,000 for the loss of each tree.

OUAT, in a letter to the commerce and transport department, has revealed that at a meeting on Nov 20 last year, it was decided to trim/prune and remove coconut trees from the threshold of Runway-14 (approach side). “The land is presently being utilised by OUAT for coconut research, seed production, germplasm conservation and practical field training of students.

“In view of the above, OUAT has taken a difficult decision to sacrifice 150 trees. In this regard, it is requested that suitable compensation of Rs 10,000 per tree may be considered to meet the cost of replantation,” the OUAT letter reads.

Repeated attempts to connect with the OUAT registrar for further comment proved futile.

The letter from BPIA director Pradhan to the OUAT registrar dated May 15, 2026, reads, “As you are aware BPIA is experiencing an increasing trend of wildlife and bird menace, which poses risk to aircraft operations. The current OUAT plantation acts as a nesting ground for birds, directly increasing the probability of catastrophic bird strike. The plantation is in close proximity to Runw-14 threshold, directly falling under the critical approach and take-off flight path.”

Pradhan said there is something called aerodrome reference point (ARP), according to Section 9-A of Aircraft Act, 1934. “Under this section, central govt mandates that no building or structure shall be constructed or erected or tree shall be planted or allowed to be grown on any land within 20 km radius of the ARP,” Pradhan added.

He further said even if there are trees and other obstructions on any land, it is the responsibility of the individual to remove or cut.