GUWAHATI: Three senior officials of the Adani group-operated Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport (LGBIA) in Guwahati were removed following allegations of misconduct outside the airport premises.
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According to source at the airport, the decision was taken on “ethical” grounds. “The decision was the consequence of an incident which occurred late at night in a city hotel recently, and involved actions deemed inexcusable by the organisation,” said a source.
An internal investigation revealed that the officials had breached “ethical standards”, said the source adding that the incident poses a potential risk to the airport's reputation.
“Two male and a female official had gone to the hotel violating organisation’s ethical norms,” said the source adding that accordingly the decision was taken.
Consequently, Utpal Baruah, the Chief Airport Officer, tendered his resignation. In his resignation statement to the media, Baruah remarked, "I have contributed to the best of my ability towards the development of Guwahati airport. With capable leadership in place, I have decided to move on."
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Baruah further explained, "Several anonymous communications regarding certain developments at the airport were received. As the accountable executive, I felt it was my moral duty to step down."
In an official statement, LGBIA announced the appointment of Ashwin Noronha as the new Chief Airport Officer. Noronha, an aviation professional with experience at Qatar Airways Group, KPMG, and Zurich Airport, is expected to lead the airport in alignment with Adani Enterprises' overall vision.
"Managing an airport is both complex and challenging, with the potential to significantly impact people's lives. I am excited about this leadership opportunity and committed to making positive contributions," Noronha said upon his appointment. He also expressed gratitude to his predecessor, Utpal Baruah, for his critical role in the airport's development.
The airport authorities did not want to comment on the “ethical norms” and did not reveal the names of the people who were shunted. But a senior official said that if any decision taken by the organisation is wrong, anyone can approach the court of law.
