Indian Navy to set up Air enclave in Bhubaneswar

Bhubaneswar, Oct 24 (UNI) Indian Navy was planning to develop an air enclave at Bhubaneswar for its aircraft, Commodore MVS Kumar, Naval Officer in Charge of Orissa said here today.

The Commanding Officer of INS Chilika, while briefing the press on the Navy Week by INS Chilika, said the Navy had already approached the state government for five acre of land for the purpose and the Chief Minister had responded very positively.

In addition, a plan was also mooted to develop 20 acre of land lying at Paradeep to provide logistic support to naval ships, he said.

The Indian Navy celebrates December 4, the day Bangladesh was liberated, as the Navy Day every year and the first week of December as the Navy week.

This time Mr Kumar said the theme of the celebration was ''Indian Navy - Professional Team-Proud force''. Though the first week of December would be celebrated as the Navy week, the INS Chilika, he said, had chalked out a slew of programmes spanning over a month beginning November 3 to December 8 to involve more people and celebrate the function in a befitting manner.

During this period INS Chilika, with the assistance of the Red Cross Society, would organise a blood donation camp, a country-boat race, swimming competition and health camp for underprivileged people, quiz competitions for students, inter-school sports championship in football and volley ball, a Navy mela and AIDS awareness camp in Bhubaneswar and Berhampur, and a film festival.

He said for the first time the Navy band concert would be presented at Jaydev Bihar Bhubaneswar and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had been requested to grace the occasion.

The traditional Governor's Day at Sea, in which the Governor of the state would embark on fleet ships at Paradeep for a day, would be observed on November 17.

The second largest Indian warship Jalashwa would anchor at Paradeep and would be opened to the public the next day. The INS Chilika also decided to invite the retired personnel of Air force, Army and the Navy of Orissa to Chilika for an interaction.

The Commanding Officer of INS Chilika said a week long sailing workshop-cum-Chilika Lake Mouth Sailing Expedition would be organised for youths from November 11 to 18 to promote adventure sports in the state.

The state department for Youth Affairs and Sports had selected 100 youths from all over the state to participate in the workshop.

UNI