Wildlife dilemma at Belora airport site

Nagpur: Even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi plans to virtually inaugurate airports at Nagpur, Shirdi, and Belora in Amravati on October 9, the forest department is struggling to capture wild animals inside the sprawling airport premises in Belora.As per a survey, an estimated 285 wild animals including nilgais, deer, black bucks, and wild boars are often spotted inside the airport premises. Starting air service without ensuring an animal-free airport is dangerous.The population of wild animals in the area grew naturally owing to healthy farms and scrubland. Land acquisition for the airport has been completed, but the airport is not yet in place and the plan is running behind schedule.With Modi opening the airport building, the Amravati forest officials have intensified the capturing of wild animals using Boma technique, which involves luring animals into an enclosure by chasing them through a funnel-like fence.Amravati deputy conservator Dhairyasheel Patil said that as per approval from top officials, the captured animals will be shifted to Pench Tiger Reserve (PTR), Maharashtra, which is 250 kms from the airport site."In January, a survey was conducted which estimated the presence of 285 wild animals in over 550 hectares of the airport area. The forest department is now on mission mode to remove these animals," said Patil.However, the decision to shift the captured animals to Pench has raised some questions. Nilesh Kanchanpure of WAR Society, Amravati, said, "It is surprising that when Melghat Tiger Reserve is close by, why animals are shifted to Pench?""The presence of wild animals in the airport premises poses a significant risk to the safety of flights. The process of capturing and relocating wild animals is a challenging task that requires careful planning and execution," Kanchanpure said.The decision to shift the animals to Pench may not be the most suitable option, especially when Melghat is closer and within the same district.The airstrip at Belora was built by the Public Works Department in 1992. Even after 32 years, the airport is not in place. This despite the fact that land acquisition was completed in 2013.Nagpur: Even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi plans to virtually inaugurate airports at Nagpur, Shirdi, and Belora in Amravati on October 9, the forest department is struggling to capture wild animals inside the sprawling airport premises in Belora.As per a survey, an estimated 285 wild animals including nilgais, deer, black bucks, and wild boars are often spotted inside the airport premises. Starting air service without ensuring an animal-free airport is dangerous.The population of wild animals in the area grew naturally owing to healthy farms and scrubland. Land acquisition for the airport has been completed, but the airport is not yet in place and the plan is running behind schedule.With Modi opening the airport building, the Amravati forest officials have intensified the capturing of wild animals using Boma technique, which involves luring animals into an enclosure by chasing them through a funnel-like fence.Amravati deputy conservator Dhairyasheel Patil said that as per approval from top officials, the captured animals will be shifted to Pench Tiger Reserve (PTR), Maharashtra, which is 250 kms from the airport site."In January, a survey was conducted which estimated the presence of 285 wild animals in over 550 hectares of the airport area. The forest department is now on mission mode to remove these animals," said Patil.However, the decision to shift the captured animals to Pench has raised some questions. Nilesh Kanchanpure of WAR Society, Amravati, said, "It is surprising that when Melghat Tiger Reserve is close by, why animals are shifted to Pench?""The presence of wild animals in the airport premises poses a significant risk to the safety of flights. The process of capturing and relocating wild animals is a challenging task that requires careful planning and execution," Kanchanpure said.The decision to shift the animals to Pench may not be the most suitable option, especially when Melghat is closer and within the same district.The airstrip at Belora was built by the Public Works Department in 1992. Even after 32 years, the airport is not in place. This despite the fact that land acquisition was completed in 2013.