New Delhi: Helicopter operations in Vaishno Devi, ONGC, Arunachal Pradesh, rest of the seven sisters and across the country will come to a grinding halt with 120 Pawan Hans pilots threatening to go on an indefinite strike from December 16.
The pilots are protesting Pawan Hans 'forcing them' to fly in Maoist-hit areas. Five management pilots, of the rank of deputy general managers have already set the ball rolling, putting in their papers in protest. The Pawan Hans Helicopter Pilots Guild has already sent a notice to the chairman and managing director and informed all clients including ONGC, governments of Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Odisha and the Vaishno Devi Shrine Board to make alternate arrangement.
"We are not trained military pilots. We are commercial pilots being forced to fly in adverse environment in anti-Naxal operations. We are neither trained nor equipped to fly in a war like zone. Our helicopters are not armour plated, we have no bullet proof jackets, helmets or even a personal weapon and there have been instances of our helicopter coming under Naxal fire," R.K. Mahajan, secretary general of the Helicopter Pilots Guild told Headlines Today.
02/12/13 Gaurav Sawant/India Today
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The pilots are protesting Pawan Hans 'forcing them' to fly in Maoist-hit areas. Five management pilots, of the rank of deputy general managers have already set the ball rolling, putting in their papers in protest. The Pawan Hans Helicopter Pilots Guild has already sent a notice to the chairman and managing director and informed all clients including ONGC, governments of Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Odisha and the Vaishno Devi Shrine Board to make alternate arrangement.
"We are not trained military pilots. We are commercial pilots being forced to fly in adverse environment in anti-Naxal operations. We are neither trained nor equipped to fly in a war like zone. Our helicopters are not armour plated, we have no bullet proof jackets, helmets or even a personal weapon and there have been instances of our helicopter coming under Naxal fire," R.K. Mahajan, secretary general of the Helicopter Pilots Guild told Headlines Today.
02/12/13 Gaurav Sawant/India Today
