IAF to aid NSDMA in relief & rescue mission

DIMAPUR, Dec 07: In a welcome development, Eastern Air Command (EAC), one of the five operational commands of Indian Air Force (IAF), has announced support to Nagaland State Disaster Management Authority (NSDMA) in the event of any natural calamity in Nagaland.
 EAC will respond to such situations with personnel and other resources like well-equipped helicopters for disaster rescue operations.Both EAC and NSDMA will work out comprehensive disaster management plans, helibases and strategic partnerships to make a greater impact on relief efforts, including supply of foods, safe drinking water, medicines and other materials to civilian population, in case of any such tragedies hitting the State.
According to a statement issued by CMO, the issues were discussed when Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief (AOC-in-C) of EAC Air Marshal Anil Khosla called on chief minister, T.R. Zeliang at the latter’s residential office in Kohima on Wednesday morning. 
Air Marshal Khosla, who has also been tasked for defence on the Eastern front, discussed with Zeliang on construction of specialized defence radar at Pfutsero in Phek district. 
The State government has already approved acquisition of land for an IAF station in the district like that of Shillong Peak which serves as a radar station for the air force.The AOC-in-C also briefed the Chief Minister about the Shillong radar that keeps an eye on China and Bangladesh borders and has high visibility capabilities to detect enemy aircraft even in remote and inaccessible terrains of the Northeast.
  Zeliang appreciated Air Marshal Khosla for his keen interest to involve air force in joint disaster management in Nagaland and suggested both parties to sit across for discussion and tie-up for relief mission.  
The chief minister and his wife also presented Naga shawls and ornaments to the AOC-in-C and his wife. According to the CMO statement, the visiting IAF officer and his wife will halt at Raj Bhavan for the night and leave for Shillong on Thursday. 
Air Marshal Khosla, who was commissioned in the fighter stream, has experience on both ground attack and air defence. Meanwhile, later on Wednesday evening, Lt Gen Abhay Krishna of Eastern Command paid a courtesy call on the chief minister at his residential office.Nagaland Post