Mangoes make airport bosses feel vulnerable

Notwithstanding round-the-clock security at the Amausi airport’s operational area, the presence of six big and small mango orchards located within its premises have raised concern for airport officials.
The orchards— Rahimabad Bagh, Hangar Bagh, Miyan Bagh and Chillawan Bagh in at Chillawan village, Bhaktikhera Bagh, Bagh No 2 — are all falling within the airport premises.
The Airports Authority of India (AAI) floated a tender worth Rs 1.90 lakh to offer fruit plucking rights for a period of three years.
While the conditions in the tender document talk about the cost of acquiring passes or permits to enter the premises to be borne by the licensee it does not clearly specify if the permits or passes are mandatory.
“The villages falling within the airport premises undoubtedly pose a security hazard. While most of the land under the possession of airport had been suitably walled, still there are villages such as Garala where land is yet to be acquired through relocation of the village to some other locality,” says airport director Ravi Prakash. He said security arrangements in and around the airport have been stringent.
03/01/07 Santosh Chowdhury/Hindustan Times

To Read the News in full at Source, Click the Headline