The dumping of garbage barely 500 metres from the Dabolim Airport has posed a serious threat to planes at the Dabolim airport, with three cases of planes being hit by birds in January alone. Despite laws prohibiting garbage sites in close proximity to the airport, garbage and waste from houses and hotels are openly dumped at the site, drawing stray animals and birds to the area. According to Airport Director D Paul Manickam the Airport Amendment Act 1994 clearly stipulates that dumping of garbage in the open space within a radius of 10 kms is a cognizable offence. "We have written to all civil authorities about the garbage surrounding the airport area. The matter has also bee discussed during periodic meetings. We have even written to the Chief Secretary to convene a special meeting to discuss this issue,' said Manickam. Incidentally, airport authorities were themselves accused earlier of dumping their own garbage at the site. It was only after the issue was highlighted in the press, that they stopped dumping garbage there. "In January alone, there were three cases of bird hitting planes, as a result of which, two charter flights had to be grounded in the airport,' the airport director said, adding that four similar cases were each reported in 2006 and 2007. When the matter was brought to the notice of the Chicalim Panchayat, Sarpanch Anacleto D'Souza feigned ignorance and said: "The Panchayat is unaware that garbage is being dumped near the airport. It could be the mischief of some contractor.' The sarpanch was, however, quick to summon the contractor and directed him to clear the garbage from the site. The contractor insisted that the garbage was being dumped by a hotel in the vicinity. Following growing instances of