‘Panel lacks expertise to go into seaplane issue’

Thiruvananthapuram: Seaplane services may have failed to take off in the State, but what baffles aviation safety experts is the composition of an expert panel mandated to go into the issue.
The committee will have just a single-point agenda: in what way would seaplanes affect fishing, protests over which had grounded them after the inaugural flight.
The committee, as named last Tuesday, would hardly serve any purpose, according to Jacob K. Philip, editor and aviation safety expert.
As far as the seaplane is concerned, the main issue of dispute is the extent of area to be set apart for exclusive use for seaplanes to land, taxi and take-off.
“At Punnamada in Alappuzha (one of the proposed waterdromes), about 100 acres of water surface have been set apart,” Philip told Business Line. No fishing is allowed in these waters. But according to US Federal Aviation Administration regulations, the water area needed for these waterdromes is 14 to 60 acres only, Philip said.
28/07/13 Vinson Kurian/Business Line

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Panel on seaplane operations yet to be finalised

Kochi: A meeting convened by the government at Thiruvananthapuram on Tuesday has decided to constitute an expert committee to study the impact of seaplane operations on fisherfolk. The names of the panel members have not been finalised, according to government officials. The meeting was convened after fishermen’s organisations raised objections to seaplane operations in Ashtamudi and Vembanad lakes on the ground that it would affect fishing operations. They had demanded that an expert committee be set up to study the issue.
The Ministers in charge of fishing and tourism were present at the meeting and the committee would be set up with the approval of both, a senior official told The Hindu. Reports that appeared in a section of the press on the names of the panel members were premature, he said.
28/07/13 The Hindu

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Exclusion of ex-dean from panel adds to seaplane row

Kochi: Trade unions representing fish workers have protested that the state government failed to honour the commitment that K S Purushan, former dean, Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies (KUFOS) will be included in the expert committee constituted to study the controversies related to the much celebrated seaplane project.
The expert committee includes Madhusoodhana Kurup, VC, KUFOS, K G Padmakumar, former director of Regional Agricultural Research Station, Kumarakom, Suman Billa, tourism secretary, S Anil Kumar,general manager, Kerala Tourism Infrastructure Limited and an expert from CMFRI.
T J Anjelose, former MP and president of the Kerala State Fish Workers Federation(AITUC) said that there was a meeting on Tuesday in Thiruvananthapuram to discuss the controversies related to the seaplane project.
According to him, a consensus was reached in that meeting, which was attended by the Minister of Tourism, the Minister of Fisheries, tourism secretary, other senior officials and senior trade union leaders, about the formation of the committee.
26/07/13 New Indian Express

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Seaplane service: Expert panel to conduct study

 Thiruvananthapuram: The government has decided to set up an expert committee to study the issues related to the seaplane service launched by the Tourism Department. The committee will study whether the seaplane project has adversely affected the fishing sector. The committee would comprise University of Fisheries Vice-Chancellor Madhusoodana Kurup, Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute representative Padmakumar, Tourism Secretary Suman Billa and Kerala Tourism Infrastructure Limited Managing Director S Anilkumar.
25/07/13 New Indian Express

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With clipped wings, seaplanes are docked in no man’s land

Kochi: Seaplane operations in Kerala, sought to take tourism to new heights, are in no man’s land. The project inaugurated a month ago with much fanfare is yet to get into regular operational mode.
The seaplane operations were halted after fishermen opposed the project, fearing disruption in fishing operations. Prominent organisations of fishermen have voiced concern over the possible loss of livelihood due to stoppage of fishing activity at sites where the seaplanes are scheduled to land and takeoff. They had also announced strong protest against the project and threatened to organise blockade around water dromes.
The government had responded to the fishermen’s concern by proposing a meeting with them to discuss the issue to remove their apprehensions. The meeting will be held on July 23, a top official of Tourism department told The Hindu.
17/07/13 The Hindu

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You can 'land' on water from October 1 in Goa

Panaji: Come October 1, tourists, and even locals looking for an offbeat outing, could fly from the Dabolim airport to eight local destinations, including six prominent beaches and the Selaulim dam. These flights of fancy would be via amphibian aircraft that land on water.
The move is part of the government's plans to diversify the state's tourism offerings to attract high-end tourists. And on Friday, the tourism department's high-powered monitoring committee selected Maritime Energy Heli Air Services Pvt Ltd to run the amphibian aircraft service in Goa.
Mehair, as the firm is known, was shortlisted from five companies that had responded to the government's advertisement in 2011.
In its detailed project report it identified Siolim, Selaulim dam, and the beaches of Colva, Varca, Morjim, Vagator, Palolem and Cavelossim as the routes for the trips that will start and end at the Dabolim airport.
06/07/13 Bindiya Chari/Times of India

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Seaplanes set for take-off in India’s coastal tourism circuits

New Delhi: Seaplanes conjure up images of carefree vacations, coconut palms and wind-swept days. Perfect for landing in small places and dropping passengers off, they are set to begin service in Kerala in August this year. But they could soon transform business and leisure in other coastal states such as Orissa, Goa and Gujarat, which recently floated a tender for selecting a consultant for these operations.
Seaplanes have been used to view spectacular locales in the Great Barrier Reef, Hawaii, Sydney, Miami, Vancouver and Abu Dhabi. Though the first seaplane service here was launched in Andaman and Nicobar in December 2010 to ferry tourists between Port Blair and Havelock Island, it is yet to find popularity in the mainland.
"Initially, we will use two 10-seater Cessna Caravans and fly passengers from Thiruvananthapuram, Cochin and Calicut airports to smaller tourist spots such as Astamudi, Punnamada, Kumarakom, Munnar, Bolgatty and Bekal connecting the entire stretch of Kerala," says Umesh Kamath, MD of Kerala Seaplane Services, a Hyderabad-based company which is doing these operations for Kerala.
06/07/13 Shobha John/Times of India

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