The Wildlife Institute of India has raised concerns over the proposed Shree Jagannath International Airport in Odisha's Puri district, warning that it could pose a catastrophic risk to migratory bird populations and threaten critical habitats of endangered marine species such as Olive Ridley turtles.
The airport, located near the Chilika Ramsar Site, is in close proximity to the Balukhanda-Konark Wildlife Sanctuary and migratory bird corridors, increasing the risk of bird strikes and posing hazards to aviation safety and wildlife conservation.
The WII report cited international precedents, including fatal bird strike incidents near wetlands, and highlighted that 95% of bird strikes occur below 2,000 feet, the exact altitude aircraft would occupy while approaching or departing a runway located within 13 to 18.5 kilometers of a major bird habitat.
The project also poses a direct threat to the Olive Ridley turtle, a Schedule I protected species, as nesting grounds for these turtles are located just 2.3 kilometers from the proposed site.
The WII has presented two potential scenarios to the government: full rejection of the proposal to protect the ecosystem, or, if the project is deemed unavoidable, the imposition of 10 mandatory, binding mitigation measures.
The Zoological Survey of India is conducting a year-long study on the habitat and migration routes of turtles and dolphins in the area to provide further data for a final decision.
