Civic body swings into action after Surat airport buffalo hit

The Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) served notice to five cattle shed owners outside Surat airport as well as detained five stray buffaloes today, to prevent eventualities like the recent incident where a buffalo hit a flight on the Surat airport's runway, officials said.
"An SMC team is constantly scanning the area outside the Surat airport to prevent any such incident in future. So far, we have issued notices to five cattle shed owners just outside the airport," Surat Municipal Commissioner Milind Torawane said.
"We cannot afford any eventuality because of cattle shed owners' unruly behaviour. Today, we caught five buffaloes from outside the airport wall and fined their owners, so that they will remain careful in the future," Torawane said.

The official said that 11 buffaloes have been caught so far, after a buffalo hit a Delhi-bound SpiceJet flight on the runway roll, carrying 144 passengers, just before its take off at Surat airport.
According to prevailing of the civic body and airport authority, there should not be any cattle sheds which can affect security of the airport, in an area of 10-km radius, Torawane said.
There is a pond to the south of the airport and a few meat shops, which lures stray animals and birds.
The SMC plans to shut down all such shops, he said.