After Hinn show Jakkur turns into dumping yard

After Hinn show Jakkur turns into dumping yard
New Indian Express

BANGALORE: A day after controversial evangelist Benny Hinn’s programme, the Jakkur airfield looks more like a dumping yard littered with garbage and ravaged by trenches all around. It may yet take months to undo the damage.

The once neatly maintained ground is now full of waste -- plastic bags, paper, pamphlets and even footwear thrown all over. Even the hangars, where aircraft are parked, have not been spared. Except the runway, the entire ground is full of small trenches dug for tents and cabling for the huge screens.

The only airstrip in the city used by a number of aviators from both Government and private agencies, was saved as the Government Flying Training School had taken precautions. But after the event was over, the runway has become a virtual road to transport materials used during the event and that may damage it.

"It will take a few months to prepare the airfield for flying activities and much more time is required to grow the grass, which has been completely destroyed,’’ sources said.

That apart, it would be a tough task for policemen to protect the aircraft parked inside the hangars as the giant hangars have no doors. For the high-profile event, blessed by the State Government, the peripheral wall was breached at over 10 places by automated diggers to create entries and exits.

Till the wall has been reconstructed, police and the Flying School authorities have to guard the newly created entry points to protect the runway and aircraft from miscreants.

Apart from the flying school, the airfield houses the NCC Air Wing, Agni Aviation, Deccan Aviation and is also used by by hobby flyers. Ever since preparations for the event began, all flying and ground activities came to a standstill.

Flying School Director Pradeep S. Rajnal maintains that the event has not damaged the airfield. The organisers of the Festival of Blessings will repair the ground in the shortest possible time, he added.