Berhampur: The Odisha Development Forum along with other social organizations organized a public awareness campaign meeting today in front of Khallikote Autonomous College in the city to raise awareness among the masses about the establishment of an airport at Berhampur.
The awareness campaign meeting was attended by a large number of students. International Sand Artist Satya Narayan Maharana also supported the movement and urged the government to set up an airport in Berhampur as soon as possible.
Among others, the event was attended by senior Executive members of Odisha Development Forum V. Someshwar Rao, Pretish Panigrahi, Banamali Ajay, Manas Patra of Bahumukhi Samaj Mangal Kendra, State Secretary of Utkal Samaj Saroj Patnaik, Biswadev Maharana, Nehal Raju, K. Dharma Rao, V Nitin Kumar, Yas Bant, Ashok Kumar, Loknath Acharya, Niranjan Gaud, D Jagannath Rao, CH Hari Patra, A Ramesh Patra, Y Narayan, Niranjan Nayak, T Someshwar Rao, T Jai Lakshmi, E. Tirupati Patra, A. Ashok Patra, S. Badri Narayan, A. Kishore Patra, Basant Kumar Sahu etc.
On this occasion, V. Someshwar Rao said to expedite the establishment of a Greenfield domestic and Cargo Airport in Berhampur in Ganjam District, Odisha Development Forum led by President Ram Prasad Tripathy has been working since last 15 years and public awareness campaign, protest rallies, bike rallies have also been going on since last eight months in various parts of Ganjam District.
The members also expressed deep dissatisfaction for the step-motherly behavior and negligence of Odisha Government led by CM Naveen Patnaik towards Ganjam District. The members said, the Odisha government in association with Ministry of Civil Aviation is establishing Airports under the UDDAN scheme in Rourkela (which is located only 90 km away from Jharsuguda Airport), Utkela, Puri (which is located only 56 km from Bhubaneswar), in small towns like Paradwep, Jaipur, Dhamara but not in Berhampur city which is the second largest urban cluster in Odisha, an emerging city in the eastern coast of India and situated 180 km from Bhubaneswar and 260 km from Visakhapatnam.
Berhampur has also institutes of International repute like IISER, two universities, several professional and Medical colleges, Institutes of Indian Army, port, SeZ, Industries and famous tourist destinations among others. Therefore, the Forum urged both the Central and State Government to expedite the process of the establishment of Berhampur Airport at the earliest.
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