Chief minister Naveen Patnaik has urged Prime minister Narendra Modi to immediately bring out a notification naming Jharsuguda Airport as Veer Surendra Sai Airport, Jharsuguda. Prime minister Modi inaugurated the airport on September 22.

In a letter to Modi on Tuesday, Naveen said: “Naming of the Jharsuguda airport in the name of Veen Surendra Sai would be a befitting tribute to the well-known freedom fighter and the legendary son of the soil.”

He urged the Prime Minister to immediately direct the Union ministry of civil aviation for immediate restoration of Udan flight operations and explore the possibility of starting operations from Jharsuguda to other parts of the state and neighbouring states through any airlines, either under RCS-Udan or otherwise.

He also urged Modi to direct Air India to start operations from Bhubaneswar to New Delhi via Jharsuguda so that people of western parts of Odisha can benefit.

Earlier, a regional airline called Air Odisha had launched its operation to Jharsuguda. But it stopped it services to within days of inauguration under the government’s Udan scheme. “I am to bring your kind notice that the Air Odisha has suddenly suspended its flight operations from Jharsuguda after October 6 without any valid reason. The abrupt suspension of the existing operation has given a severe jolt to the aviation sector in the state and has also hurt the sentiments of the people of west Odisha,” Naveen wrote in his letter.

In another development, the Union civil aviation ministry has issued a notice to the airline. Union minister of petroleum and natural gas Dharmendra Pradhan on Wednesday said: “If required agreement with AirOdisha will be cancelled; a fresh tender will be floated for regular operation of flights. Talks are underway with Indian Airlines, SpiceJet and IndiGo.”

Non-Resident Odias living in the United Arab Emirates have demanded direct air connectivity to Jharsuguda from major metro cities such as Delhi, Mumbai and Calcutta. A group of Odia professionals living in the UAE recently met Indian consul general Shri Vipul there and presented him a memorandum on the issue.

Minor kills self

A 14-year-old boy ended her life by hanging from a tree in Nuapada forest in Keonjhar district on Wednesday. Police recovered the body of Lipun Munda, a native of Nuapada village, from the tree. No suicidal note was found from the spot.

An unnatural death case has been registered. The cops are probing the motive behind the suicide.