Seaplane makes undeclared landing at Chilika lake, panic among locals

Chilika: People inhabiting the villages located around the Chilika lake were left in a state of panic on Saturday after a seaplane made an undeclared landing on the lake water and took off after a stay of over 15 minutes.

As per some residents and fishermen of Arakhakuda and Sanapatna villages, the landing of the sea place took place at around 1.30 PM yesterday with a loud noise near Nanganasi mouth of the lake. The noise of the place was heard till a distance of about 2 kms, they added.

Unacquainted to amphibious plane landing, some of the villagers even ran out of their homes out of fear, said a local.

While the purpose lying behind such a landing in Chilika is still not clear, the locals have demanded a probe into the incident as the seaplane landing could bear adverse effect on the marine creatures living in the lake.

Similarly, it has also come to the notice that neither the district administration nor the local police had been informed in advance on such a landing in Chilika.

Notably, Central Government had proposed to set up a water aerodrome in Chilika a month back. However, the project was dropped after sharp criticism from locals as well as environmental activists who claimed that it would affect the biodiversity of the lake.

The AAI decided to shelve the project finally after an objection for it by Chilika Development Authority (CDA) at a later stage and left the decision to Odisha Government by telling it to suggest some other place for the water aerodrome.

Also Read: Centre cancels water aerodrome project in Odisha’s Chilika