Flying To The Rescue

Very rarely are the armed forces recognised for the work they do during natural disasters. The J&K government along with several social organisations have now conferred the IAF with the prestigious Mahatma Gandhi Service Award for its role in helping out the civil administration during three natural disasters that struck the state last year. It was a testimony to the IAF’s lead role in establishing a vital air bridge across the Pir Panjal ranges, ferrying nearly 75 tonnes of relief material during a snowstorm last February. It also flew rescue missions during the flashfloods in March. The IAF was again called into action in October when the killer quake struck. Other than the dozens of rescue sorties, the force also adopted several villages adjacent to the LoC which were wiped out in the quake.