The Hindu Business Line : Green signal for cloud seeding in AP

GIVING a boost to the efforts to try out artificial rains in the State, the Civil Aviation Ministry today gave the go-ahead for the cloud seeding project in Anantapur district.

Announcing this at a news conference here, Mr Rajiv Pratap Rudy, Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation, said a letter from the Director-General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) had been handed over to the Chief Minister, Mr N. Chandrababu Naidu, today.

The DGCA's permission is mandatory for States to go for cloud seeding projects. Mr Rudy met the Chief Minister today and discussed various issues, which included the open sky policy and Shamsabad international airport.

The Ministry also addressed the long-pending issue of leasing out a 4,300-sq metre plot to the State Trading Corporation (APSTC) today. The STC runs air cargo complex at Begumpet, which handles all imported goods, gold consignments, diamonds, unaccompanied baggage, export of all items of cargo including jewellery.

Mr Rudy, who also reviewed the progress of the expansion of the runway from 9080 ft to 10,600 ft at the Hyderabad Airport, said the project would be completed by January-February 2004. The expanded runway would allow wide-bodied aircraft such as Airbus-330 and Boeing-747 to land comfortably.

Addressing a gathering at the airport, Capt. S.N. Reddy, Aviation Advisor to the State Govt, said the airports at Visakhapatnam and Vijayawada were being expanded to make them handle night traffic.

Mr P Ashok Kumar, Manager (AP), Air-India, said the national carrier held the major share here, showing consistent growth during the last three years. "We await the expanded runway and eagerly looking for huge aircraft to land and take off from here.

Article E-Mail :: Comment :: Syndication

Stories in this Section
Cloud seeding in northern Karnataka districts to begin today

Spectre of price spiral looms

Greenspan pooh-poohs inflation targeting

FIEO inks MoU with Chinese manufacturers body

AIDS awareness campaign in TN, AP planned

Foodgrain merchants against power tax

Spinners cut yarn rates for Sept deliveries

Meet to help SSIs set up defence ancillaries

Green signal for cloud seeding in AP

Panel may look into CAS implementation in Kolkata

No ad exodus from pay channels for now