Tag: chopper

  • Third eye: Copyright on guarantees, experiencing choppy ride, and specific to region

    Copyright on GuaranteesWith AAP pitting ‘Kejriwal ki guarantee’ against ‘Modi ki guarantee’, ‘Congress ki guarantee’ is caught between the two. Congress believes that the patent for coining pre-poll ‘guarantees’ rests with it as it first chanted the mantra during Karnataka elections and then in Telangana polls. Congress spokespersons maintain that BJP and PM aped the party’s word play by coining ‘Modi ki guarantee’, but it finds itself in a piquant situation with ‘Kejriwal ki guarantee’ as AAP is a sensitive ally. It can’t endorse it either as it risks eclipsing Congress’ own ‘guarantees’. While some Delhi Congress leaders are wondering how to streamline the alliance with AAP and the two, yet competing, guarantees, a little bird says at least two Congress LS candidates in Delhi are raring to chant ‘Kejriwal ki guarantee’.Experiencing Choppy RideFund-strapped Opposition parties are facing a major crisis during campaigning — lack of helicopters. Apparently, helicopter companies have demanded that all political parties pay upfront 70% of hiring fee and that too in cheque. This has limited the use of choppers, making it difficult for leaders to cover more constituencies and campaign in remote areas. Last heard, Congress leaders were pushing for a chopper to campaign in the last phases. Specific to RegionEven as India has expanded its regional dialogue partners, Russia remains a close ally for discussing key developments in the region. Senior Russian diplomat and presidential envoy on Afghanistan, Zamir Kabulov, will be in New Delhi this week to engage with his counterparts on the AfPak region and the necessity for an inclusive government in Kabul. Kabulov, a former envoy to Afghanistan, is considered one of the best Afghan experts.

  • Char Dham Yatra: ‘Students, wildlife hit by chopper pilgrimage in Uttarakhand’, say experts

    Express News Service

    DEHRADUN: Choppers flying pilgrims on a tour of four holy sites (Char Dham Yatra) of Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath is having an adverse impact on school children and the environment, claim experts.

    The helicopters make more than 25 trips an hour between Kedarghati and Kedarnath. Experts say these chopper trips are not good for the wildlife and also for the Himalayas. They recalled the 2013 cloudburst centered on Uttarakhand which caused devastating floods and landslides.

    Situated at an altitude of 11,750 feet above sea level, Kedarnath Dham is surrounded by hills on three sides. 

    This pilgrim season, seven aviation companies are involved in ferrying passengers to Kedarnath. The Kedarghati to Kedarnath route is like a two-sided V-shaped narrow valley, which is susceptible.

    Prof Rakesh Kumar Maikhuri, head of the Department of Environmental Sciences at Hemwati Nandan Bahuguna Central University, told The New Indian Express that children’s education and environment are adversely affected due to the choppers flying below the prescribed standard altitude in Kedarghati. The DGCA norms prescribe that flights should be operated above 600 meters from the ground, say reports.

    Prof Maikhuri, who studied the impact of helicopter flights in Sirsi, Ravigram and Rampur villages said “The roar of the helicopter distracts the animals. This affects their milking volume process due to changes in their behaviour”.

    “Being a native of the area, I also found in my study that the sound of the choppers has changed the behaviour of pets in villages within a one-kilometre radius of the helipad. Other wild animals including horses and deer living in the wildlife area between Rambada and Kedarnath are disturbed by the sound. This was confirmed by the ‘stool samples’ of wild animals in the investigation. The government was warned thereafter in this regard, but no action has been taken”, Maikhuri said.

    “During the study, we sought the views of children, parents and teachers of schools in that area, which showed that chopper flights have had a very adverse impact on the academic environment as well,” he added.

    Prof Maikhuri said that between 2005 and 2012, he had released a report on the helicopters being operated for Kedarnath, in which he clearly pointed out, “Helicopters flying in Kedarnath are causing problems to the people even in the populated area of Kedarghati.”

    “Environmentalist Jagat Singh ‘Junglee’ said the carbon that a helicopter emits during its flight has a big impact on the environment. The distance from Kedarnath to Chaurabari Tal is only four km, while the air distance is quite short. In such a situation, the impact of the loud sound of the helicopter in the glacier area cannot be ruled out.

    DEHRADUN: Choppers flying pilgrims on a tour of four holy sites (Char Dham Yatra) of Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath is having an adverse impact on school children and the environment, claim experts.

    The helicopters make more than 25 trips an hour between Kedarghati and Kedarnath. Experts say these chopper trips are not good for the wildlife and also for the Himalayas. They recalled the 2013 cloudburst centered on Uttarakhand which caused devastating floods and landslides.

    Situated at an altitude of 11,750 feet above sea level, Kedarnath Dham is surrounded by hills on three sides. googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    This pilgrim season, seven aviation companies are involved in ferrying passengers to Kedarnath. The Kedarghati to Kedarnath route is like a two-sided V-shaped narrow valley, which is susceptible.

    Prof Rakesh Kumar Maikhuri, head of the Department of Environmental Sciences at Hemwati Nandan Bahuguna Central University, told The New Indian Express that children’s education and environment are adversely affected due to the choppers flying below the prescribed standard altitude in Kedarghati. The DGCA norms prescribe that flights should be operated above 600 meters from the ground, say reports.

    Prof Maikhuri, who studied the impact of helicopter flights in Sirsi, Ravigram and Rampur villages said “The roar of the helicopter distracts the animals. This affects their milking volume process due to changes in their behaviour”.

    “Being a native of the area, I also found in my study that the sound of the choppers has changed the behaviour of pets in villages within a one-kilometre radius of the helipad. Other wild animals including horses and deer living in the wildlife area between Rambada and Kedarnath are disturbed by the sound. This was confirmed by the ‘stool samples’ of wild animals in the investigation. The government was warned thereafter in this regard, but no action has been taken”, Maikhuri said.

    “During the study, we sought the views of children, parents and teachers of schools in that area, which showed that chopper flights have had a very adverse impact on the academic environment as well,” he added.

    Prof Maikhuri said that between 2005 and 2012, he had released a report on the helicopters being operated for Kedarnath, in which he clearly pointed out, “Helicopters flying in Kedarnath are causing problems to the people even in the populated area of Kedarghati.”

    “Environmentalist Jagat Singh ‘Junglee’ said the carbon that a helicopter emits during its flight has a big impact on the environment. The distance from Kedarnath to Chaurabari Tal is only four km, while the air distance is quite short. In such a situation, the impact of the loud sound of the helicopter in the glacier area cannot be ruled out.