The Hindu : Other States / Orissa News : State to get more lighthouses soon

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Tuesday, Jan 29, 2008
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State to get more lighthouses soon

Staff Reporter

Efforts are also on to computerise the existing ones

BERHAMPUR: Three more light houses would come up on the coast line of Orissa soon. The deputy director of the light house and light shipping department, lieutenant Ramprakash informed it to the newsmen during his visit to Gopalpur light house. He also added that works of technical up-gradation would also be taken up at the five existing light houses of the State. Orissa has a coast line of around 480 kilometers.

At present light houses are located at False Point island, Gopalpur, Puri, Chandrabhaga, and Paradip. Construction work of a new light house had started at Prayagi in Ganjam district. It is expected to get completed by the end of this year. Plans are on to have two more light houses at Maipura in Bhadrak district and near Astaranga in Puri district. Work on the Maipura light house is expected to start in a month.

But search is still on for suitable place near Astaranga for the proposed light house as this area near the Devi river mouth is also a major nesting place of Olive Ridley turtles.

Efforts are also on to computerise the existing light houses so that they could be managed through a centralised network system. Automatic Identification System would be part of new light houses and this system would be added to the old light houses in future.

With this surveillance system the light houses would be able to monitor the entry of ship and planes of other countries into Indian sea limits. Light houses are part of Orissa’s maritime history.

The light house at False Point Island is considered one of the oldest in the country as it was established in 1838. Similarly the Gopalpur light house is said to have started in 1871. It has been renovated and innovated seven times till date. This 45 meter high light house is also major tourist attraction at Gopalpur beach resort, which exists at the very place where the old port of British era existed.

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