COLOMBO, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) -- The Sri Lankan government approved on Tuesday the establishment of a national committee to address wildlife-related risks to aircraft operations, in line with international aviation safety requirements.
The National Wildlife Hazard Management Committee for Aviation Safety will coordinate efforts among relevant agencies to monitor and manage wildlife hazards at and around airports across the country.
The proposal, submitted by the minister of Ports and Civil Aviation, follows guidelines issued by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), which recommend national-level coordination to reduce the risk of collisions between aircraft and wildlife.
As a signatory to the Chicago Convention on International Civil Aviation, Sri Lanka is required to maintain systems for recording and reporting wildlife strikes, identifying potential hazards and regularly assessing risks near airports.
These requirements also include submitting wildlife collision data to the ICAO's Bird Collision Information System and ensuring that risk assessments are conducted by qualified personnel.
The committee is expected to strengthen cooperation among government agencies and improve the monitoring, reporting and management of wildlife hazards affecting civil aviation. ■