Post News Network
Sambalpur, July 6: Residents are up in arms against the repeated negligence of the state government and the Centre to provide permanent commercial air service to the town.
Bowing to the pressure of the western Orissa people, Air Orissa started its service in the town January 19. However, as the carrier failed to meet the terms and conditions of an agreement made by the state government, the service was stopped in April.
Since then, the government has not clarified on whether to resume the service in the region. With uncertainty looming large over resumption of air service in the heart of the western Orissa, people are preparing for a major stir against the lackadaisical attitude of the government.
In the mean time, the Centre has started a survey in Bargarh to extend air service to the region. But silence of the government over resumption of air service at Sambalpur has drawn flak from several quarters.
Former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru had inaugurated the Jamadarpali airstrip in the district during construction of the Hirakud dam with an aim to facilitate education, commerce, health and economy in the backward region.
However, no measure has been taken over last 60 years to improve the airstrip or to develop it into a full-fledged airport. Protests by residents of Sambalpur and western Orissa region have gone in vain. Both the Centre and the state government are silent over the matter.
The airstrip at Jamadarpali was built on 65.76 acres of land with a 4800-ft-long runway. The residents said if the full-fledged airport requires a 9000-ft-long runway, the authorities can use the 235.03 acres of government land (at Talaba and Goudapali) adjacent to the airstrip. They said the district administration should identify the government land and take steps to develop it into a commercial airport.
Locals said the town is regarded as the second state capital what with education, culture, literature, tradition and heritage of the region. Existence of Hirakud dam and industries like Rourkela Steel Plant, L&T Cement, Vedanta Aluminum, Aditya Birla Aluminum, Hindalco, Bhushan, Bargarh Cement, and huge coal deposits at Talcher surrounding the town has made the place a commercial hub.
Educational institutions like National Institute of Technology (Rourkela), VSS Institute Medical Science and Research, Indian Institute of Management, Sambalpur University and OUAT at Chipilima have made the town a centre for
education.
Scientists, doctors, professors, industrialists, businessmen and tourists visit the place regularly. However, they face myriad problems in communication due to lack of air service.
Ganesh Agrawal, a senior citizen of the town, said the state gets the highest amount of its revenues from western Orissa. However, the development is not in proportion to its revenues.
He said the government should come clear on its stance on a full-fledged airport in Sambalpur, instead of Bargarh. He added that a memorandum was submitted to district collector Samartha Verma in this regard.
When contacted, Verma said the state government was aware of the public demand.
