PUNE, 4 June 2005 — Maharashtra’s Deputy Chief Minister and Home Minister R.R. Patil, and two other top state officials, miraculously escaped a near-air mishap when the aircraft carrying them lost contact with air traffic control for 18 minutes after an SOS.
Patil, Minister for Public Works Department (PSD) Anil Deshmukh and state Director General of Police Parvinder Singh Pasricha were coming to Bombay from Nagpur when their state aircraft was tossed about in severe air turbulence. There was no contact between the air controllers and the aircraft for 18 minutes.
Deshmukh, who revealed the close escape, said that they were returning to Bombay after paying homage to the seven policemen and a civilian killed by Naxalites in Gondia district. Turbulence hit the aircraft in the Nashik air corridor.
The pilot of the aircraft declared an emergency prior to losing all contacts and, Deshmukh said that it was the experience of the pilot that prevented a disaster.
Meanwhile in another development the state-owned Maharashtra State Electricity Board (MSEB) was fragmented yesterday after the Cabinet gave its approval for setting up a holding company. Effective from June 6, the MSEB will be no more, with the new company coming into effect on that date. State Energy Minister Dilip Walse-Patil said a meeting was held between the three specialized entities and the holding company has told to streamline assets, liabilities and functions of the three companies meant for generation, transmission and distribution.
