`Festival of Blessings' a curse on Jakkur aerodrome

`Festival of Blessings' a curse on aerodrome
New Indian Express

BANGALORE: Controversial evangelist Benny Hinn's `Festival of Blessings' has turned out to be a curse on Jakkur aerodrome.

The only airfield in the city used by a number of aviators from both government and private agencies has been severely damaged and it will take many months to undo the damage.

For the high-profile event, the periphery wall has been deliberately breached at over 10 places using automated diggers to create entries and exits. The ground has been dug up all over to put up tents and huge screens for the programme starting Friday.

That apart, all flying and ground activities in the airfield have come to a standstill. They will continue to be grounded for many more weeks till the ground is ready for a take-off again.

The first non-sporting activity at the airfield has done so much damage that the Government Flying Training School authorities are now writing to the State Government asking it not to permit any such programmes in future.

``We will write to the Government requesting it not to permit non-sporting activities in future,'' the Flying School Director Pradeep S Rajnal told this website's newspaper. However, the officer, claimed that the event has not caused any damage to the ground.

While the entire ground has been converted with a makeshift township with a number of tents supported by hundreds of poles, the officer said they will ensure that the airstrip will not be damaged and have also taken adequate steps to protect aircraft.

The Government has taken an undertaking from the organisers, who have deposited Rs 20 lakh to repair the ground and reconstruct periphery wall at the shortest possible time. ``Before allowing the event we have taken photographs of the ground. Only after we are satisfied about the repair works the money will be released,'' he added.

However, officials of the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) have distanced itself from the event. ``We come into picture only where there are flying activities. The airfield is State Government property,'' a DGCA official said.

LOW IQ

Though the state government has blessed Benny Hinn's programme in every way, the Intelligence dept appears to be running a parallel investigation to ascertain whether the Jakkur airfield is a prohibited area. On Thursday afternoon, an intelligence policeman in `mufti' approached the Government Flying School officials and others at the venue seeking information on entry restrictions to the airfield per se.

However, Sports and Youth Services Department Secretary C S Kedar said Jakkur Airfield was like any other college ground, where entry is not prohibited or restricted.

Funny how the one Government department spies on the other.