Odisha Govt Caught Unawares By Sea Plane Landing In Chilika

Balugan: The Odisha government has no information about the landing of a sea plane in Chilika lake near Balugan in Khurda district on Saturday.

According to reports, the people of Arakhakuda and Sanapatana villages along the lake area ran out of their houses due to the loud noise. Later, they witnessed the landing of a sea plane in the lake. The amphibious plane later took off after staying for about 15 minutes.

The incident took place at around 1.30 pm.

“We saw the sea plane landing in the lake with a loud noise that could be heard till a distance of about 2 km. But the plane left the lake after 15 minutes,” the people of Arakhakuda village told the media on Sunday.

Besides, some fishermen of Sanapatana village said they had seen the plane landing near the Nanganasi mouth of the lake.

Asked about the incident, the local police said they have no information about the incident.

As neither the police nor the district administration has any information, the locals have demanded a probe into the landing of sea plane without the prior permission of the state government.

It may be recalled that the Airports Authority of India (AAI) had decided to shelve the proposed water aerodrome project in Chilika lake due to the objection by the state government, the Chilika Development Authority (CDA) and some local leaders maintaining that the project will have an adverse impact on the lake’s biodiversity, exotic and endangered marine species as well as the migratory birds.

“I came to know about the landing of a sea plane in Chilika from the newspapers today. If the incident is true, then it is not at all acceptable as this will adversely affect the biodiversity of the lake and the local fishermen will lose their livelihood. I will take up the matter with the Forest and Environment department after which appropriate action would be taken,” Tourism minister Ashok Chandra Panda told mediapersons in Bhubaneswar.