Odisha Health Minister Naba Kishore Das writes to Odisha Chief Secretary requesting him to take steps for engagement of additional firemen required for operating bigger Aircraft at VSS Airport, Jharsuguda.

Jharsuguda :�Odisha Health and Family Welfare Minister Naba Kishore Das have written to Odisha Chief Secretary requesting him to take immediate steps for engagement of additional 19 firemen required for operating bigger Aircraft like Boeing at Veer Surendra Sai (VSS) Airport, Jharsuguda.

In his letter, Das has stated that, due to the rise in increasing footfall at VSS Airport, the local businessmen, traders and corporate officials have demanded operations of bigger aircrafts at Jharsuguda to different cities like Delhi, Bengaluru and Mumbai. However, the existing Airport is maintaining Category VI for Air Rescue and Fire Fighting (ARFF) due to the severe crunch of firemen.  For the operation of bigger aircraft, there is a requirement of an additional 19 firemen, which the Jharsuguda Airport Director has sought from the Fire Officer, Northern Range, Sambalpur also.

He has requested Odisha Chief Secretary, to take immediate steps for engagement of additional 19 firemen on priority the basis for rolling out of bigger aircraft at VSS Airport, Jharsuguda in the interest of General public and State. �

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As per reports, Presently, Veer Surendra Sai Airport, Jharsuguda is operating under Category VI in two shifts with 23 fire personnel�s, However, to operate Bigger Aircraft like Boeing, the airport has to operate under Category VII, only when it fulfils the required 42 Firemen under Air Rescue & Fire Fighting (ARFF).

Earlier, around 30 Fire Personnel�s were engaged in VSS Airport, where two Categories was also being operated in VSS Airport i.e., Category V in the Morning shift and Category VII in the evening shift, where SpiceJet�s Boeing Aircraft 737 Delhi-Jharsuguda-Delhi aircraft was being operated. But after the transfer of 7 fire personnel in the month of July, the total number of firemen fell to 23.

Simultaneously, Four months back, Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) had also raised an objection on maintaining two categories in the same airport and directed to operate only under one Category, since then it has been Operated under Category VI, with the existing manpower of firemen.

Jharsuguda Airport Director Kishore Senapati said, �Due to less manpower, we are operating the under Category VI. With the availability of additional manpower, we will able to provide Category VII Air Rescue & Fire Fighting (ARFF) which will enable operation of bigger aircraft from this airport as per DGCA norms.�  

Veer Surendra Sai (VSS) Airport, Jharsuguda is presently having flights for Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Raipur, Bhubaneswar sector with two Service Providers Spice jet and Alliance Air.�