KENDRAPARA: The helicopter used by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi is gathering dust on the playground of Kendrapara Autonomous College for the last one month after it developed technical snags due to lightning.
During the chief minister’s maiden visit to the district on June 9, his helicopter was struck by lightning amid incessant rains. Though Majhi landed safely at the temporary helipad on the college ground, he was forced to return from Kendrapara by road. Since then, the helicopter has been stranded on the college playground, causing major inconvenience to students and locals.
Requesting anonymity, a college teacher said for more than a month, the playground is not accessible to anyone. The ground has been barricaded while a police camp and fire service personnel with their vehicle are guarding the helicopter round the clock. All sports and cultural activities of the college have also been stopped since June 9 as the playground is out of bounds for people.
Nagendra Das, a local, said, “We used to walk on the playground every morning. We have abandoned our daily morning walk for the last one month as the ground is no more accessible to us.”
Former principal of Kendrapara Autonomous College Nanda Kishor Parida said this is the only ground where the district administration organises major events such as the Pallishree Mela, Independence Day and Republic Day. “The long occupancy of the chopper on the college ground is troubling everyone. We hope the officials will shift the helicopter to some other place soon,” he said.
Contacted, additional district magistrate (ADM) of Kendrapara Rabindra Kumar Behera said the helicopter developed some technical snags due to lightning. Three aviation engineers spent a week to repair it but could not succeed. “We are guarding the helicopter. The district administration has already informed the state government regarding the stranding of the chopper on the college playground. We hope the helicopter will leave Kendrapara soon after it is repaired,” the ADM added.