After facing stiff opposition from various quarters, the Central Government has finally shelved the proposed water aerodrome project at the Chilika lake.

Chilika Development Authority (CDA) Chief Executive Susanta Nanda told mediapersons that the Airports Authority of India (AAI) has cancelled the seaplane project in the lake which, if implemented, would negatively impact the ecosystem and the surrounding human habitat.

AAI Chairman Guruprasad Mohapatra has informed to Chief Secretary AP Padhi about the AAI decision not to go with the plan. “Following a request from the State Government through videoconferencing to cancel the project as it would affect Chilika’s ecology, we have cancelled the project,” he said.

The AAI has decided to shelve the project following environmentalists and the Chilika Development Authority (CDA) raised objections citing “ecological” hazards.

Last week, in a letter to the State Government, Nanda said seaplanes would seriously jeopardise the habitat of Chilika’s nearly one million avian visitors, which include 230 bird species and 97 migrants from the Arctic and Eurasian regions.

“Operation of seaplane and water aerodrome at Chilika, the world’s second largest brackish water lake, is likely to cause irrevocable damage to the ecosystem and livelihood of people dependent on it. The cost involved in the operation of seaplane seems to outweigh the benefits likely to accrue from it. Besides, legally the project is not feasible,” added the CDA Chief Executive.