Aviation and civil aviation experts from the Asia Pacific region have gathered in Pokhara to discuss the risks posed by wild animals in the airspace and the solutions to such problems. The workshop on wildlife risk management and the seventh meeting of the wildlife risk management task force started on Monday under the organization of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

The workshop and meeting started in collaboration with Nepal Civil Aviation Authority will continue till May 27. In the meeting, the experts said that the situation of the wildlife risk faced by the aviation sector in the Asia Pacific region, its mitigation and solutions and the measures to make the aviation sector safe will be discussed.  In the

meeting, Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Minister Badri Pandey stressed on the diagnosis of existing risks to ensure safe air travel. He said that the government of Nepal is committed to deliver the passengers safely to their destination and to build technology-friendly, convenient and safe infrastructure. 

Dhanraj Acharya, head of Pokhara Metropolitan Municipality, said that they are aware of the sensitivity of the aviation sector. He recalled that before the operation of Pokhara International Airport, the Metropolitan Corporation created a comfortable environment for the operation of the airport by transferring the landfill site located nearby. "The relocation of the landfill site was not easy but it was necessary. We managed it through many problems," he said. "Understanding the sensitivity of the airport, we took an immediate decision and moved the landfill to a safe distance within a month. This sensitivity also confirms how important the role of the local government is in air safety. He said that the activism and leadership of the local level is equally necessary and effective to make the air service safe.