In a move to safeguard air travel, the Jammu & Kashmir Government has constituted two committees, one each for Kashmir and Jammu, to monitor and regulate activities prohibited under Rule 91 of the Indian Aircraft Rules, 1937.

Akashvani Jammu Correspondent reports that the committees will enforce strict implementation of Rule 91, which prohibits activities near airports which attract birds, as these can cause dangerous bird strikes to aircraft.

According to an order issued by General Administration Department the committee for Jammu is headed by the Divisional Commissioner and comprises Administrative Secretary, Civil Aviation Department; Deputy Commissioner, Jammu; Commissioner, Jammu Municipal Corporation; SSP, Jammu; Director, Urban Local Bodies, Jammu (Member); Member Secretary, J&K Pollution Control Board (Member); and Director, Airport Jammu.

The committee for Kashmir is headed by Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir and comprises Administrative Secretary, Civil Aviation Department; Deputy Commissioner, Srinagar; Deputy Commissioner, Budgam; Deputy Commissioner, Pulwama; Commissioner, Srinagar Municipal Corporation; SSP Srinagar/Budgam /Pulwama; Director, Urban Local Bodies, Srinagar; Member Secretary, J&K Pollution Control Board and Director, Airport Srinagar (Secretary).

The committee would immediately identify and map all unauthorised slaughterhouses, meat shops, dairies, piggeries, garbage dumps and other prohibited facilities within a 10 km range of the International Airport, Srinagar.

The committees have also been mandated to ensure strict enforcement measures, including closure or relocation of non-compliant units, in coordination with Urban Local Bodies, Municipal Corporations, Pollution Control Board and law enforcement authorities. The committees would institutionalise the compliance monitoring mechanism with quarterly reports to be submitted to the Director General of Civil Aviation.