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By:

Quaid Najmi

4 January 2025 at 3:26:24 pm

Trainer plane hard-lands near Baramati

Mumbai: In a shocker, a small trainer aircraft belonging to a private aviation company hard-landed near the Baramati Airfield on Wednesday, sparking fresh concerns over aviation safety in a region that has been witness to several aircraft-related incidents in the past few months. The two-seater, single-engine aircraft belongs to Redbird Flight Training Academy (RFTA) and it crash-landed near the Baramati Airfield this morning around 8.50 am. There are no casualties reported in the incident...

Trainer plane hard-lands near Baramati

Mumbai: In a shocker, a small trainer aircraft belonging to a private aviation company hard-landed near the Baramati Airfield on Wednesday, sparking fresh concerns over aviation safety in a region that has been witness to several aircraft-related incidents in the past few months. The two-seater, single-engine aircraft belongs to Redbird Flight Training Academy (RFTA) and it crash-landed near the Baramati Airfield this morning around 8.50 am. There are no casualties reported in the incident though the Italian-made plane is reported to have suffered minor damage. Confirming the mishap, Pune (Rural) Superintendent of Police Sandeep Singh Gill told mediapersons that the plane crash landed near Gojubavi village, adjacent to the Baramati Airfield. In a terse statement later, the RFTA said: “This is to inform that our aircraft, a Tecnam P2008JC bearing registration VT-RFY, was involved in an incident at Gojubavi in the vicinity of Baramati Airport. As per the preliminary information received, the aircraft was undertaking a solo flight at the time of the occurrence. The cadet pilot is reported to be safe,” it said. When contacted in New Delhi, a senior RFTA official, Dr. Ritu Grover, told The Perfect Voice that they had no further information on the accident including the identity of the trainee pilot. According to initial information, the aircraft developed a technical glitch while cruising at a low altitude while on a routine practice flight, forcing the trainee pilot to attempt an emergency landing but it hard-landed. “During the crash landing, a part of the aircraft grazed an electric light pole before it came down on the ground. Only one trainee pilot was on board the aircraft and fortunately, no serious injuries were reported in the incident,” Gill said. Upon receiving information from the locals, a police team rushed to the accident spot and cordoned off the site. The injured trainee pilot was taken for treatment while local aviation officials launched a probe into the incident. The police said that further details would be released after a technical assessment of the aircraft and ascertaining the causes leading to the disaster. Incidentally, this is believed to be the third mishap involving the Tecnam aircraft including in 2021 and 2023 in different places. The RFTA is one of the two major pilot training institutes operating from the Baramati aviation hub. The region has emerged as a centre for aviation training, with institutes like RFTA and the Carver Aviation conducting regular training sorties from the airfield. Today’s incident brought focus on the safety record of aviation training operations in Baramati, particularly around Gojubavi village, where multiple aircraft mishaps have been reported in recent years. The latest crash comes barely four months after the January 28 Learjet crash near here that had sent shockwaves across the state and national political circles. The mishap had claimed the life of then Maharashtra deputy chief minister and ex-Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Ajit A. Pawar along with four others, making it one of the deadliest aviation incidents in the region in recent memory. Locals recall that similar trainer aircraft disasters involving RRFTA planes had occurred in the vicinity in the past, raising concerns over recurring technical failures and emergency landings dangerously close to populated areas. The aviation authorities are likely to examine whether mechanical failure, pilot error, or operational lapses led to today’s hard-landing at Baramati Airfield. Hazardous Airfield A preliminary probe report by the AAIB into the Learjet 45XR – owned by VSR Ventures Ltd – that crashed on Jan. 28 killing Ajit Pawar and others, had made certain stinging observations on the facilities at Baramati Airfield, managed and maintained by the Maharashtra Airport Development Co. Ltd. Besides the two private aviation training academies, it regularly handles non-scheduled operations, including Chartered/VIP flights. In a shocker, it also stated how the two ATC towers there are manned flying instructors or students, including training flights and VVIP operations.

Annasaheb Patil: A Lifelong Advocate for Workers’ Rights

Updated: Oct 21, 2024

Annasaheb Patil

Annasaheb Pandurang Patil, a member of the Maharashtra Legislative Council, made significant contributions to the uplifting of scattered workers in Mumbai. For this reason, he is regarded as the architect of the progress of the Maratha and Mathadi workers in Maharashtra. Annasaheb Patil proposed a simple yet broad definition of a `Maratha,’ stating that every person residing in Maharashtra and standing for its defence is a Maratha. With this ideology, he established the Mathadi Workers Union and the All India Maratha Federation.

When Annasaheb Patil arrived in Mumbai from his native village, Mandrulkole in Patan Taluka, he began his career as a worker. At that time, workers in Mumbai were facing dire conditions, and a majority of them were Marathas. Annasaheb Patil believed that workers needed to experience both economic and social progress. He deeply studied their issues and began organising them, forming the Mathadi Workers Union, formally known as the Maharashtra State Mathadi Transport and General Workers Union. This became one of the largest labour unions in the state.

At the time, most labour unions were led by communists, but Annasaheb Patil rejected their ideologies, instead building a union based on Indigenous principles. He organised protests and movements, putting forward workers’ demands for better wages, healthcare, and basic rights for workers before the government. His relentless work eventually bore fruit, and he became the guiding force for workers.

Annasaheb Patil’s efforts resonated with the government. The then-Chief Minister, Yashwantrao Chavan, addressed the demands put forth by Patil, and on June 5, 1969, the Mathadi Workers Act was enacted in Maharashtra. This legislation brought joy and relief to the workers, improving their quality of life. Due to this act, facilities such as hospitals, consumer societies, housing through CIDCO, and educational and medical services were made available to Mathadi workers. Patil’s contribution to their welfare was pivotal.

Today, the issue of Maratha reservation is a significant topic in Maharashtra. Annasaheb Patil, the father of the Maratha reservation movement, made sure that his demands were reasonable and did not disturb social unity. His image is revered across Maharashtra for this reason.

Annasaheb Patil worked tirelessly for the welfare of Mathadi workers, most of whom were Marathas. He united the 12 Balutedars and 18 Pagadi communities, forming various organisations under the All India Maratha Federation. His leadership earned him widespread respect, and on July 8, 1980, he became a member of the Legislative Council.

During this time, the demand for Maratha reservations based on economic criteria was gaining traction. Annasaheb Patil toured Maharashtra while advocating for this cause. He resolved to lead a protest march to the Legislative Assembly. As an MLA in the Congress government, Patil, along with Advocate Shashikant Pawar, led a massive procession from Azad Maidan, Mumbai, on March 22, 1982. The sight of the marchers carrying Shivaji Maharaj’s saffron flag caught the attention of the citizens of Mumbai.

Annasaheb Patil submitted a list of nine demands to the then Chief Minister, Babasaheb Bhosale. Realising that the demand for reservation would not be considered, he declared that if justice were not served to the Maratha community, he would not live to see the next sunrise. True to his word, he ended his life on March 23, 1982, leaving an indelible mark on the state.

Annasaheb Patil devoted his life to the progress of Mathadi workers, raising their issues before the government and improving their living conditions. His efforts for the Maratha reservation and social justice brought attention to the problems faced by the community. His life was a testament to the struggle for the welfare of society. Rightfully, he is remembered as the father of the Maratha reservation movement and the architect of Maratha upliftment.

On his birth anniversary, we humbly pay tribute to the sacred memory of Annasaheb Patil.

(The writer is a BJP member of Maharashtra Legislative Council. Views personal.)

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