THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: An old proposal for establishing an air enclave of the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) in Thiruvananthapuram still languishes on paper even as a blame game has erupted over the alleged delay in reacting to Cyclone Ockhi and launching search and rescue operations. The original proposal, which is over five years old at least, involved the stationing of two helicopters in Thiruvananthapuram so as to ensure speedy action in the event of contingencies in Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam districts and to conduct maritime reconnaissance. In 2013, the Airport Authority of India (AAI) reportedly allocated a portion of the domestic terminal building of the Thiruvananthapuram airport to establish the ICG air enclave. By then, the ICG’s plan was to station a fixed-wing Dornier aircraft and a Chetak helicopter in the state capital.
Four years later, the ICG has only one interceptor boat stationed in the district - at Vizhinjam. The ICG aircraft and ships involved in the SAR mission for tracing fishermen missing at sea were all rushed to the region from ICG Kochi unit. A senior ICG officer told Express that the AAI, which originally agreed to allocate land on the airport premises, took it back on the assurance that new land would be provided. This, reportedly, has not been done yet.
‘’Ideally, the enclave should be attached to an airport. It cannot function independently as space for hangars and other facilities is also required. So we need the land next to the airport itself,’’ the officer said. Thiruvananthapuram Airport authorities said the proposal was still being pursued actively by the two agencies. ‘’Discussions are on for handing over an old building in the domestic terminal area to the ICG. It will be finalised soon,’’ airport director George G Tharakan said.