Tight security for President's visit to Silk City

Berhampur, Orissa, July 2 (UNI) Elaborate security arrangements have been made in entire Silk City Berhampur in Ganjam district with deployment of about 40 platoons of Orissa State Armed Police (OSAP) in the wake of President A P J Abdul Kalam is visit here tomorrow.

The President would inaugurate the Platinum Jubilee Celebrations of the City High School here and Silver Jubilee Celebrations of the Pharmacy College Mahuda, 8 kms from here.

This would be the first visit of a President of India to Berhampur after a gap of 32 years. Fourth President of India V V Giri last visited Berhampur in 1974.

Superintendent of Police of five districts (--) Berhampur, Ganjam, Gajapati, Kandhamala and Boudh and 75 police officers of the state have been camping here for last four days to provide an outer ring of security to the President.

Sniffer dog squad and Bomb disposal squad from Gajapati, Rayagada and Bhubaneswar have inspected the two functions venues and various entry points to Berhampur.

About one hundred metal detectors were fitted at different places at the two function venues. Several intelligence officers from state and the Centre have also fanned into the city to keep a strong vigil during the three hours visit of the President.

Orissa Governor Rameswar Thakur, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, Union Minister of State for Labour and Employment and Berhampur Member of Parliament Chandra Sekhar Sahu, ISRO scientist and alumni of City High School Dr Kota Harinarayana and Vice Chairman Tata Steel B Muthuraman would be accompanying the President.

The President would pass through Pathara, Dura, Khodasingi, Komapalli, Khallikote College Road, Param Jyoti Talkies Road to reach City High School at 1025 hours to attend the Platinum Jubilee Celebration.

He would then move to Mahuda to inaugurate the Silver Jubilee Celebration of the College of Pharmaceutical Sciences and the Acharaya Prafulla Chandra Ray Memorial Cancer hemotherapeutic Research unit there.

Though heavy rains lashed Berhampur since last Friday due to depression over North Bay of Bengal, it would pose no threat to the safe landing of the Indian Air Force plane carrying President at Rangeilunda helipad, official sources said.

All the educational institutions in the city would be closed for one day tomorrow to enable the students to have a glimpse of the President and also avoid traffic congestion during his visit.

Dr Kalam had visited Indian Rare Earths (IRE) at Matikhal in Ganjam district as a member of the scientific enquiry team led by Dr Raja Rammana during 1987.

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