DGCA says it has no idea how Jamnagar Airport was upgraded to Intl status during Ambani Festivities
New Delhi: The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has drawn scrutiny after declaring it lacks information on the procedures that temporarily elevated Jamnagar's domestic airport to international status. This rare upgrade coincided with high-profile pre-wedding celebrations organized by the Ambani family from February 25 to March 5.
During this period, Jamnagar experienced an unprecedented surge in air traffic. Reports indicate that the Indian Air Force (IAF) managed the significant increase in activity, with the airport, which typically handles domestic flights, accommodating up to 70 flights on March 1 alone.
Sources reveal that Reliance Group sought the IAF's assistance for continuous operations, anticipating a substantial influx of international guests. While initial estimates suggested 30-40 aircraft movements, the actual figure surpassed 600, straining the airport's infrastructure.
Activist T. Narasimha Murthy, advocating for transparency, filed a Right to Information (RTI) request to know the basis for the airport's temporary status elevation for Mukesh Ambani's son's pre-wedding ceremony. Murthy's RTI sought details on the DGCA's role and the legal grounds for this extraordinary change.
In response, the DGCA's Chief Public Relations Officer stated, "In regard to the information sought, it is informed that no such information is available with the CPIO." This reply has intensified public concern, as Murthy emphasized the need for clarity on how a primarily military airport, near the Pakistan border, received such a significant status shift.
Murthy also questioned whether similar privileges would be extended to ordinary citizens for their personal events. Additionally, he requested access to the no-objection certificate (NOC) issued by relevant departments and details of expenses incurred during the airport's temporary transformation, given its usual limited resources.
The guest list for the lavish celebrations included notable figures such as Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, Rihanna, and Ivanka Trump.
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Drug addiction sign of mental illness, says DC Mullai Muhilan
Mangaluru: Drug addiction is a sign of mental illness and there is a critical need for awareness among students, stated Deputy Commissioner (DC) Mullai Muhilan at the ‘Drugs Free India’ awareness program. Organized by the Counseling Department of St. Aloysius PU College in collaboration with the District Administration, Mangaluru Police Commissionerate, Indian Coast Guard, and the Customs Commissionerate, the event took place on Tuesday.
Delivering the keynote address, DC Mullai Muhilan emphasized the importance of counseling centers in every school to educate students about the dangers of drug addiction. He highlighted the correlation between the increasing number of educational institutions in Dakshina Kannada District and the rising supply and demand for narcotic drugs. He stressed the need for continuous efforts to dismantle the supply chain of narcotics and initiatives to curb the demand through systematic education.
“Anti-drug units have been established in 528 colleges across the district. These units operate with utmost confidentiality, allowing students to report information about drug supply and abuse, thereby preventing their peers from falling into the trap of addiction,” Muhilan said.
Police Commissioner Anupam Agrawal reported that over 500 cases related to drug supply and abuse had been registered in the past six months, with 400 cases pertaining specifically to drug abuse. He noted that many complaints came from mothers about the deteriorating behavior and habits of their children. Agrawal stressed the importance of self-awareness among students to avoid drug addiction and urged them to stay away from narcotics.
Mangaluru Customs Commissioner P Vinitha Shekhar described narcotics as a ‘social menace’ and explained the customs department’s role in search and destroy operations in accordance with the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. She highlighted India's vulnerability to drug trafficking due to its proximity to opium-producing countries like Myanmar, Vietnam, Laos, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Iran. She also pointed out the link between drug supply networks and the funding of terrorist organizations.
District Coast Guard Centre DIG P K Mishra, through an illustrative story, encouraged students to contribute to society by reporting unusual behavior in their friends and peers that might indicate drug abuse.
Fr. Clifford Sequeira, Principal of St. Aloysius PU College, and Dr. B K Kiran Kumar from the Department of Psychology at the Institute of Medical Sciences were also present at the event.
