DGCA issued contempt notice by Supreme Court
The Supreme Court has issued a contempt notice to the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
The court wants an explanation why the DGCA is not complying with its order to bring new set of rules to rationalise the flying hours for pilots.
A petition was filled by an association of Indian pilots who want enforcement of the Civil Aviation Regulations (CAR) to minimise accidents caused by pilot fatigue.
The apex court had directed the DGCA in May 2011 to expedite the process of bringing new CAR to rationalise the flying hours for pilots. The DGCA now has three weeks to comply with the contempt notice.
The Society for Welfare of Indian pilots, who petitioned the court, has argued that there is an urgent need to tackle fatigue among pilots and highlighted the crash in Mangalore where 158 people died.
Senior advocate K T S Tusli argued that DGCA is selectively relaxing rules for a few private airlines, putting passenger safety at risk and it is not taking action against those airlines which are flouting the rules.