The Ahmedabad-Kevadia seaplane service, which was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday, has created controversy as it has not received any environmental clearances by the Union Ministry of Forest and Environment. PM Modi, who was on a two-day visit to Gujarat, had taken a seaplane from Kevadia to the Sabarmati riverfront on Saturday. According to reports, the process required for water aerodrome has also not been completed yet.
The process of constructing water aerodromes at the Statue of Unity, Shatrunjay Dam and Palitana Dam for seaplanes was submitted by the Gujarat government to the Ministry of Environment on 22 April. At that time, an expert committee of the Ministry of Environment had been asked to prepare an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report for the three sources to determine whether the project would have any impact on biodiversity and animals. A public hearing is to be held after that report is released. The Gujarat Pollution Control Board is also scheduled to hold a public hearing on the basis of this report so that people can submit objections. The EIA report has to be submitted by the Pollution Control Board to the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation.
Environmentalist Rohit Prajapati told The Daily Guardian that the seaplane cannot be inaugurated without an environmental impact report as the Gujarat government’s application is pending in the environment ministry. The Aviation Department of the Gujarat government is also under fire for violating the rules of Notification 2006 of the Union Ministry of Environment by not preparing an EIA report.
PM Modi had promised to launch a seaplane during the Assembly elections in 2017. However, it was learned that the Gujarat government had applied to the Ministry of Forest and Environment for the seaplane project at Shatrunjay Dam, Panitana Dam and Statue of Unity, but forgotten to apply for the construction of a water aerodrome on the Ahmedabad riverfront. The matter was finally brought to the notice of the Environment Department on 27 August.
Environmentalists are now preparing to return to the arena with this news of the Statue of Unity and the water aerodrome built for the seaplane on the Ahmedabad Sabarmati riverfront being in flagrant violation of environmental rules. Plans are afoot to take legal action against the government over its serious implications, which could hamper the seaplane project in the coming days.
Due to the short distance between the water aerodrome and the Pirana dumping site, there is a high chance of birds being hit with the seaplane. On Saturday, attempts had been made to keep the birds away from the seaplane site by setting off firecrackers continuously from 9 am to 1.40 pm to prevent any incidents during the arrival of PM Modi. Airport personnel had been placed at different places to detonate fireworks. Zone guns were also used for explosions. Along with the zone guns, 3 bombs were used extensively.
The Prime Minister inaugurated the country’s first water aerodrome on the occasion of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s birth anniversary.