Herbal saplings planted

Tirupati: In a novel initiative, the Airports Authority of India (AAI), Southern Region, has taken up a massive plantation programme in which 40,000 medicinal saplings to form herbal gardens were planted at 21 airports in the region on Wednesday to mark the National Ayurveda Day.

The highlight of the programme was that the entire plantation was completed in just five minutes in all 21 airports that started exactly at 10 am and concluded at 10.05 am making it a ‘unique’ event thereby attempting to create a record. 

In Tirupati, the programme was organised by the Airport Director H Pulla while Assistant Commissioner of GST Anbu Raj has attended as a chief guest. They have created AAI logo using herbal saplings in front of the terminal building of the airport for which three colour herbs–Ponnakanni, Nithya Kalyani and Insulin.

Speaking to The Hans India on the occasion, the Director Pulla has said that 650 saplings were planted before the new integrated terminal building near National Flag post and having plans to plant 1,000 more herbal saplings soon.

It was a step towards bringing awareness in the society about the strength of Ayurveda propagated by Lord Dhanvantari whose birth anniversary is celebrated as National Ayurveda Day. Airline employees, CSF personnel and AAI staff took part in the programme. He added that as plants grow bigger they will approach Ayurvedic companies to know how best they can be utilised. These plants will be maintained by AAI. 

Meanwhile, the authorities have provided tactile paving for the benefit of visually challenged passengers. With this, any visually impaired person comes to the airport, without seeking anyone’s help he/she can move by just tapping on the tactile floor starting from the main entrance and proceed straight to check in counters. There will be help desk and the staff will take care of that person and take him to the aircraft. 

Also, two shops were set up inside the terminal to facilitate passengers to make shopping. One branded cloth store and a shoe shop was provided, and Lepakshi Handicrafts emporium will be coming up there. While the efforts to run flights to Middle East from January were going on, Tirupati airport authorities have also wrote to the government to operate international flights under the UDAN scheme.