BANGALORE: While the security at country’s premier airports are being beefed up following speculated terror attacks,nothing is being done for the 414 - Air Force Station in Yelahanka which faces a major threat from birds of prey.The illegal fish breeding (Cat fish) at Razak Palya has become one of the biggest problems for the Air Force Station located on the outskirts of the city. According to the villagers and the Air Force authorities, all the chicken and mutton waste from the city is sent to this place, as a feed for the cat fish, which in turn attracts large numbers of birds of prey.As one of the leading flight training centers of the country for the Dornier and AN-32 aircraft and MI-8 Helicopters, the station, which sees more than 60 landings and take offs in a day, literally flies in grave danger of coming in contact with the large number of birds in the sky over Razak Palya, which also is within a few kilometers of the air station. The authorities had no choice but to ‘temporarily’ close down these fishing ponds with nets during Aero India-2011, only for it to return after the show.“We have had many meetings with the State Government officials, but the problem continues.”, Air Commodore B S Yadav, Commandant of the Base said. Adding that the sorties and number of flying hours increased the bird menace which pose a growing threat to military aircrafts in the region.The illegal fishing ponds have not only attracted the wrath of the Air Force personnel but also the people in Bagalur and surrounding villages who are troubled by the increasing number of stray dogs in the area. Not long ago, a child was allegedly killed by stray dogs. This iccident led the Karnataka Urban Development Minister Suresh Kumar to take cognizance of the matter, but was led to no avail.Even the Urban Deputy Commissioner gave an ultimatum to the fish breeders, but the fish breeding continues. Villagers have allegedly been threatened by these breeders.
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