Prior security check of air strips or runways is conducted to see if they are safe for landing. But due to the unprecedented floods of Kolhapur and Sangli this was well nigh impossible. Hence without the prior checking, the brave pilots of Air Force, Navy and Coast Guards landed their planes and choppers on the runways for helping the marooned people.
Contact with Kolhapur was possible only through airway. In consideration of this fact, Chief Minister Devendra Fadanvis contacted Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and informed him about the grave situation and appealed him to speed up rescue operations with the help of Air Force, navy and Coast Guard teams. Accordingly, necessary manpower and material from various locations in the country were rushed to Kolhapur by air. Overcoming the bad weather and incessant rains, the brave hearts of Air Force, Navy and Coast Guards have accomplished an unequalled responsibility.
Since last three days the planes of Air Force, Navy and Coast Guards are landing at Kolhapur air port with relief material. On Wednesday 11 Ir Force planes/helicopters and on Thursday 14 planes and helicopters landed at Kolhapur airport. ON Friday 16 sorties of relief material landed at this airport.
These coppers and airplanes have launched relief operations in Kolhapur, Karad, Satara and Sangli. The Air Force, Navy and Coast Guards have dispatched rescue teams with boats, and other relief materials from Goa, Hubli, Mumbai, Pune, Bhatinda, Bhubaneshwar, Vishakhapatanam by air for these two districts ravaged by the floods. This has facilitated conducting rescue and relief operations in these two districts.
12 teams are dispatched to Sangli from Kalina and Lion Gate of Mumbai by arranging ‘Green Corridor” for the rescue and relief operations in Sangli district.
Besides, local district administration, Maharashtra Police, NDRF, Maharashtra Security Force are also working to rescue and provide relief to the marooned people in these districts
