60 pilots, 150 cabin crew failed breathalyzer test
Darpan News Desk IANS, 21 Jul, 2022 12:44 PM
New Delhi, July 21 (IANS) A total of 60 pilots and 150 cabin crew members tested positive following the breath alyzer (BA) test in the last two and a half years. Breathalyzer tests are conducted to ensure aviation safety is not compromised due to the consumption of alcohol by pilots and cabin crews.
During the period from January 1, 2020 to June 30, 2022, as per the provision of Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR) Section-5, Series-F, Part-III, no license has been cancelled. However, a total of 210 pilots and crew members have been suspended.
According to a Parliament reply on Thursday, there is a systematic safety oversight process in place for monitoring the compliance of Rules and Civil Aviation Requirements by the airlines. "This is a continuing process and includes surveillance, spot checks and regulatory audits embodied in Annual Surveillance Plan (ASP) of DGCA. The findings of safety oversight exercises are followed up with the concerned operator for compliance and the observations are closed only after due verification," said the reply.
The compliance of the action taken by the operator is verified during the next audit and surveillance. In case of any violations or non-compliance to regulations detected during audit and surveillance, enforcement action including financial penalty is imposed by the DGCA.
DGCA in its guidelines had earlier said that airlines must ensure that 50 per cent of their cockpit and cabin-crew members are subjected to preflight alcohol tests on a daily basis.
As per DGCA advisory, even 12 hours after a bout of drink, when blood alcohol level remained zero, there could be a decrease in performance. "Alcohol present in body even in small quantities jeopardizes flight safety on several counts and is likely to adversely affect an aviator well into the hangover period.
The accused have been identified as Nitin Pratap alias Atul and Sandeep Kumar -- residents of Firozabad in Uttar Pradesh. Police said the accused used a Suzuki Gixxer motorcycle for the last two months to commit the crime in Gurugram and Rajasthan, and they used to travel from Tapukara in Rajasthan once a week to snatch mobile phones.
The deceased, identified as Megha Kayal, 40, was working as a doctor in London Milton Keynes University Hospital. Prior to this, she was a doctor at Apollo hospital, Sarita Vihar, Delhi.
A gofundme has raised US$70,000 for the victim family. The bodies of the four family members – who have been identified after autopsies as Jagdish Patel, 39, his wife Vaishaliben Patel, 37, daughter Vihangi Patel, 11, and son Dharmik Patel, 3 – are currently lying in a morgue in Winnipeg.
Senior advocate and Additional Solicitor General Rupinder Singh Suri passed away, sources said here on Monday. According to reports, he was battling Covid-related complications for over a week. He is survived by his wife Gurvinder and advocate daughters Suruchi and Simar.
A bench headed by Chief Justice N.V. Ramana told the Punjab government counsel to advise his government to refrain from launching criminal cases against the political opponents, just before the election. The top court directed Majithia to surrender on February 24 before the trial court and seek regular bail.
The chief minister further said that from Monday onwards, they have started recouping farmers' loss. "By providing them with a financial assistance of Rs 20,000 per acre, Delhi is paying the highest compensation amount across the nation," he tweeted, adding that they have handed over cheques amounting to Rs 2.5 lakh or 3 lakh.
