The DGCA head should be Immediately Suspended & Questioned on numerous loopholes in our Aviation Infrastructure Endangering Thousands
Charge 2 - Gross disrespect for human lives: Forget the current scam, the DGCA is still ambivalent on their decision of suspending/cancellation of the license of any pilot for three months if he/she is caught drunk while flying. In a situation where hundreds of lives are involved, the DGCA should instead have taken a decision to initiate criminal action against any drunken pilot. As per the Act, such pilots should have been jailed and fined. When was the last time you heard of such an imprisonment? Never, right? Pilots mostly escape this test as it is conducted only for vulnerable/important routes. Also, no such test is conducted post a flight. DGCA should be immediately prosecuting drunk pilots under cases of culpable homicide and attempts to murder and DGCA officials should be arrested for not initiating compulsory alcohol tests pre & post flights in all flight cases.
Charge 3 - Killer airports: DGCA officials have still not improved the safety infrastructure of airports. Numerous airports in India have shorter runways as against the international norm of 9000 ft long runway. This forces pilots to take-off at high speeds and calls for planes to fly light. The Mangalore plane crash, which killed 158 people, was due to a short runway & pilot inexperience. DGCA is too slow in undertaking a full review of safety infrastructure at airports.
When a government organization is found corrupted at the work level, for example in the AICTE case, more often than not, the entire organization needs a revamp. Current DGCA head SNA Zaidi, who was appointed in 2008 and whose appointment led to a court case, is not even a person from a technical airlines background – leave alone one who can be a visionary on such issues. Zaidi has recently given hints that DGCA is understaffed to undertake current issues. When we checked their roster of employees from available statistics, the count was close to 350. Understaffed? Ineffective, inefficient and insidious would have been better adjectives. If the government really wishes to change the DGCA’s corrupt practices, the first person to be kicked out should be its head.
Charge 2 - Gross disrespect for human lives: Forget the current scam, the DGCA is still ambivalent on their decision of suspending/cancellation of the license of any pilot for three months if he/she is caught drunk while flying. In a situation where hundreds of lives are involved, the DGCA should instead have taken a decision to initiate criminal action against any drunken pilot. As per the Act, such pilots should have been jailed and fined. When was the last time you heard of such an imprisonment? Never, right? Pilots mostly escape this test as it is conducted only for vulnerable/important routes. Also, no such test is conducted post a flight. DGCA should be immediately prosecuting drunk pilots under cases of culpable homicide and attempts to murder and DGCA officials should be arrested for not initiating compulsory alcohol tests pre & post flights in all flight cases.
Charge 3 - Killer airports: DGCA officials have still not improved the safety infrastructure of airports. Numerous airports in India have shorter runways as against the international norm of 9000 ft long runway. This forces pilots to take-off at high speeds and calls for planes to fly light. The Mangalore plane crash, which killed 158 people, was due to a short runway & pilot inexperience. DGCA is too slow in undertaking a full review of safety infrastructure at airports.
When a government organization is found corrupted at the work level, for example in the AICTE case, more often than not, the entire organization needs a revamp. Current DGCA head SNA Zaidi, who was appointed in 2008 and whose appointment led to a court case, is not even a person from a technical airlines background – leave alone one who can be a visionary on such issues. Zaidi has recently given hints that DGCA is understaffed to undertake current issues. When we checked their roster of employees from available statistics, the count was close to 350. Understaffed? Ineffective, inefficient and insidious would have been better adjectives. If the government really wishes to change the DGCA’s corrupt practices, the first person to be kicked out should be its head.
Source : IIPM Editorial, 2012.
An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri
and Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).
For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
IIPM Best B School India
Management Guru Arindam Chaudhuri
Rajita Chaudhuri-The New Age Woman
IIPM's Management Consulting Arm-Planman Consulting
An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri
and Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).
For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
IIPM Best B School India
Management Guru Arindam Chaudhuri
Rajita Chaudhuri-The New Age Woman
IIPM's Management Consulting Arm-Planman Consulting
