The IAF is particularly worried about Ghazipur landfill site as it is close to its Hindon base and the flypast route.

Every year, the Republic Day parade comes under the cloud of terror threats and maximum security is pressed into service to ensure peaceful celebrations. This year too, intelligence agencies have warned of planned attacks on courts and political figures. But that may not be the biggest worry.

The garbage which is strewn across the Capital, particularly east Delhi, is like a time bomb and it may take out an Indian Air Force plane on January 26 as they have attracted large squadrons of birds that may hit an aircraft during or after the flypast. Apart from the pileup at the Ghazipur landfill site, which now stands over 50 metre tall, the waste dumped by sanitation workers during the recent strike has added to the worries of IAF officials.

But little has been done so far to attend to these concerns. A few rounds of meetings were recently held by Delhi Police and civic agencies, but it has not resulted in any action on the ground. Indian Air Force officials had reportedly hinted towards a major threat of an aircraft crash as they return from Rajpath towards the Hindon airbase after the flypast.

ALSO READ|East Delhi sanitation workers' strike continues even as littered garbage plagues residents

According to highly placed sources, after the meeting with IAF, the senior brass of Delhi Police has taken this threat very seriously and on Wednesday, they have decided to write an official letter to the Municipal Corporation.

"We are writing to the concerned authority to completely clear up the garbage from East Delhi and reduce waste from landfill site so that it attracts lesser birds on the garbage pile up," an official said.

Running past capacity for over 14 years, the Ghazipur landfill site - spread over 29 hectares - has been posing a health hazard due to decomposing garbage and frequent fires. This landfill site is very close to the route followed by the aircraft for the flypast.

ALSO READ|Supreme Court warns civic bodies over piled garbage, seeks details of clean-up plan

Experts said that while a single bird hit may not be a threat, multiple hits could cause extensive damage to an aircraft.

Meanwhile, the ministry of defence has asked people to alert the nearest Air Force Unit or Police Station and report instances of carcasses found in the open. An advisory has also been issued that says that birds pose a serious threat to aircraft flying at low levels, and hence, people should not throw food to birds in open areas to ensure a safe flypast.

The garbage pile up was caused by non-payment of the salaries to the sanitation workers of East Delhi Municipal Corporation. Even though the strike has now been called off, garbage is still piling up in East Delhi. A senior MCD official said that after the issue was raised, workers have been asked to clear up the garbage at least twice a day.

ALSO READ|Delhi garbage mess: SC declines to intervene in civic employees' strike