Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Dec 2: Taking cognizance of the unbearable noise pollution generated by helicopters at holy town of Katra, Committee on Petitions of the Legislative Assembly has summoned several officers including Commissioner Civil Aviation, Chairman Pollution Control Board, Chief Executive Officer of Shri Mata Vaishnodevi Shrine Board and the representatives of the chopper service operators–Pawan Hans and Global Vectra.
The summons were issued in a petition seeking relief from the unbearable volume of noise pollution being generated by helicopters’ continuous operation from morning to late evening from Serli helipad being managed by Shri Mata Vaishnodevi Shrine Board in association with State Police and two helicopter companies.
The petition was addressed to Speaker of the Legislative Assembly and he later forwarded the same to the Committee on Petitions headed by MLA Ramban, Ashok Kumar and comprising 10 Members of the Lower House of State Legislature. The Petitions Committee in its meeting held few days back took cognizance of the petition and decided to summon the officers of all the concerned agencies to ascertain how the people could be provided respite from the noise pollution and what steps have been taken to shift the helipad away from the inhabited area.
The Committee has directed the Commissioner Civil Aviation, Chairman Pollution Control Board, Chief Executive Officer of Shri Mata Vaishnodevi Shrine Board, District Development Commissioner and SSP Reasi, Base Managers of Global Vectra Heli Corporation Ltd and Pawan Hans Ltd, the Chief Executive Officer, Katra and the Chief Town Planner to reach Assembly Secretariat on December 4.
In the petition, it has been submitted that foundation stone of the helipad at Serli near Katra was laid for VIP visits without any approval/NOC from all relevant departments, public and nearby inhabitants.
“Later, the helipad was further developed, renovated and capacitated for continuous chopper service without complying with the relevant rules and presently hundreds of sorties are being operated every day”, the petition said, adding “the helipad is surrounded by schools, temples and gurudwaras besides inhabited areas and continuous helicopter service from morning till evening has made hell like conditions due to unbearable noise pollution”.
“Neither students can read nor any prayers can be done without disturbance and people have been crying/protesting since inception of helicopter service but no authority ever bothered to get the helipad shifted away from inhabited area”, the petition said. “Since Shri Mata Vaishnodevi Shrine Board owns thousands of kanals of land near Banganga stream it should immediately shift the helipad to there in order to provide respite to the people from the noise pollution”, the petition added.
According to the petition, shifting of helipad will be very helpful in reducing traffic load in major part of the Katra town and subsequent reduction in pollution generated by the vehicles.
As per the available information, the helicopter services have not been staggered and both the companies have been operating choppers without any break. Whenever the chopper services remain suspended due to bad weather the people heave sigh of relief albeit for short duration.
MLA Reasi, Baldev Raj, who is also the member of the Committee on Petitions, when approached, said that there was every justification behind the petition and remarked, “the people of holy town of Katra particularly the areas surrounding the helipad have every right to live in an atmosphere free of unbearable noise pollution”.
“The people are not against the service but only want the same to be operated from any other location where there is no population. Moreover, they want service to be properly regulated”, Mr Baldev said in response to a question.
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