New Delhi, Sep 18 (ANI): The Indian Air Force in a significant move today activated its Nyoma Advanced Landing Ground (ALG) to support the Army in carrying out operations in the inhospitable terrain.
An IAF AN-32 aircraft landed at Nyoma ALG, which is located at an altitude of 13,300 feet in Leh district of Jammu and Kashmir, at 6:25 a.m. today. It is located 23 kms from the Line of Actual Control. (LAC).
The successful landing of a fixed wing aircraft at Nyoma marks the culmination of joint effort by the IAF and Indian Army to enable the IAF to operate in the inhospitable terrain of Leh-Ladakh region in support of the Army.
The landing comes just fifteen months after an AN-32 landed at Daulat-Beg-Oldie (DBO), the highest airfield in the world situated at an altitude of 16,200 feet.
Group Captain SC Chafekar touched down on the Nyoma airstrip. Air Marshal NAK Browne, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Air Command and Lieutenant General PC Bharadwaj, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Northern Command on board.
Though helicopters have been landing at this ALG, this is for the first time that a fixed wing aircraft has landed at the compact airstrip of Nyoma.
After deliberating on all aspects and carrying out aerial and ground inspection, it was concluded that Nyoma could be developed for fixed wing operations as well.
The Engineer Regiments of 14 Corps undertook the herculean task of developing the ALG to the standards required for fixed wing operations.
Joint development of Nyoma braving the extremely difficult working conditions and hostile weather is yet another step towards enhanced joint partnership between the two services.
Nyoma has been developed with an aim to connect the remote areas of Ladakh region to the mainland. This would also ensure movements in the area when the road traffic gets affected, during the harsh winters besides enabling improved communication network in the region. (ANI)
One more person with symptoms of swine flu quarantined in Tamil Nadu
Coimbatore, July 14 (ANI): One more person with symptoms of the dreaded swine flu was quarantined in Coimbatore.
Presently, he is in the isolation ward of the Coimbatore Medical College Hospital.
The blood samples of a youngster named Harijan (24) who returned to India from Malaysia has been sent to the National Institute of Communicable Disease (NICD) in New Delhi for further analysis.
So far, nine cases of swine flu have been reported in Tamil Nadu out which, two from Coimbatore were confirmed positive cases.
“Thirteen cases were reported here out of which two were positive and all others were negative. The two positive cases have been treated successfully and sent back home. This is the fourteenth case referred from the nearest district,” said Dr. Durai Kannan, Joint Director, Health Department, Coimbatore Medical College Hospital.
Meanwhile, experts from the New Delhi-based National Institute of Communicable Diseases visited the Coimbatore Medical College Hospital and examined the quarantine wards in the hospital.
“We have come to see the situation. The Joint Director is here and the Regional Director looking after this area,” said Shahai Hussain, Joint Director, National Institute of Communicable Diseases, New Delhi.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) had declared influenza pandemic last month and advised governments to prepare for a long-term battle against an unstoppable new flu virus.
The WHO had no immediate comment on the case of Tamiflu resistance. (ANI)