The proposed Shree Jagannath International Airport in Odisha’s Puri district could pose a “catastrophic” risk to migratory bird populations and threaten vital habitats of endangered marine species such as Olive Ridley turtles, the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) warned on Friday.
The airport, located in Sibasurupalli village in Brahmagiri tehsil on 471 hectares of land, recently received in-principle phase-I approval from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change to convert 27,887 hectares of forest land, but on the condition that the user agency implements mitigation measures, including a site-specific wildlife management plan recommended by the WII and Zoological Survey of India.
“The proposed new planned airport may be rejected because it is too close to the existing Bhubaneswar airport… and in close proximity to the Chilika Ramsar site,” the WII team said in its recommendations, stressing that the interests of wildlife and wetland safety should remain paramount. HT has reviewed the WII’s recommendations.
Read also: The FAC recommends approval in principle for the conversion of forest land for mining projects
Highlighting that the proposed site is located just 200 meters from the sea coast, placing it within a sensitive “no development” zone, the Western Pacific Institute report said: “Importantly, the project boundary is in close proximity to the Balukhanda-Konark Wildlife Sanctuary and about 16 kilometers from Chilika Lake, a Ramsar site of international importance.”
Risks to aviation and wildlife
Citing its proximity to the Balukhanda-Konark Wildlife Sanctuary and migratory bird corridors that form part of the Central Asian Migration Route, the WII said this significantly increases the risk of bird collisions, posing risks to aviation safety as well as wildlife conservation.
The report cited international precedents, including fatal bird strikes near wetlands such as Muan International Airport in South Korea, where a collision with a flock of Baikal migratory birds led to the death of 179 people in December 2024. Likewise, Bahir Dar International Airport in Ethiopia, located just 4 kilometers from Lake Tana, recorded a catastrophic strike in 1988 that killed 35 people.
The WII said that 95% of bird strikes occur at an altitude below 2,000 feet, which is the exact altitude an aircraft will occupy while approaching or exiting a runway located 13 to 18.5 kilometers from prime bird habitat such as Chilika.
Based on these environmental risks, the report said that if wildlife protection was treated as paramount, “the planned new airport proposal may be rejected” given its proximity to a Ramsar site and an existing airport in Bhubaneswar located about 65 km away.
Threat to marine species and coastal environment
Beyond the flight risks, the report said the project poses a direct threat to the Olive Ridley turtle, a Schedule I protected species, as their nesting grounds are located just 2.3 kilometers from the proposed site. She also documented the presence of the Irrawaddy dolphin in the adjacent sea, adding that the coast serves as a crucial migration route between Satpada and Konark.
Noting that construction will require felling 13,504 trees, the Western Pacific Institute report said these plantations currently act as a “bio-shield” and shelter belt, protecting the interior from expanding sand dunes, saltwater intrusion, and severe cyclones that frequently hit Odisha’s coast.
“Existing tree species act as windbreaks…if cut down, they will have a detrimental impact on the environment of the area,” the report warned, adding that the project area is increasingly exposed to the “fluctuations” of tidal influence and extreme weather.
Concerns about approvals and compliance
The WII also questioned the transparency of the proposal, stressing that the project was not presented as an “integrated project”, as a six-lane expressway and access roads were omitted from the current proposal for easier environmental approvals.
It said the user agency had already violated the Forest Conservation Act by constructing a 1,400-metre-long boundary wall extending to the sea line before obtaining necessary permits.
The Western Pacific Institute presented two possible scenarios for the government: complete rejection of the ecosystem protection proposal, or, if the project is deemed “unavoidable,” imposition of 10 mandatory and binding mitigation measures such as establishing a 10-kilometre environmental baseline, using only turtle-friendly lighting, implementing radar-based bird deterrent systems, and adjusting runway directions to avoid migration corridors.
The report stressed the necessity of conducting these studies and guarantees before granting any legal licenses.
The Zoological Survey of India is conducting a year-long study on the habitats and migration routes of turtles and dolphins in the area to provide more data for a final decision.
