Home dept seeks advisory on fresh safety norms for copters

Mumbai: Hours after a bell helicopter, carrying Andhra Pradesh chief minister Y S R Reddy went missing after it took off from Begumpet airport, the NCP-controlled home department, besides further strengthening the security cover for chief minister Ashok Chavan has sought an advisory from the Centre and Directorate General Civil Aviation on fresh safety measures.
"At the moment, as we don't know why the helicopter went missing, we are expecting advisories from the Centre and DGCA on fresh safety norms, particularly on helicopters and aircraft used by VVIPs,'' a senior official said.
Between September and October, the largest number of private helicopters and aircraft will be pressed into service for the October 13 assembly poll campaigns. "We expect 30 Congress, NCP, Sena and BJP politicians to use private helicopters and aircraft. We hope the Centre's fresh advisory will reach us in a day or two,'' the official said.
He pointed out that while Andhra Pradesh has been witnessing stepped-up Naxal activities, Maharashtra too experienced the worst-ever Naxal attacks on police officials in the past three months, in which 32 police officials were killed. "So far, we don't know the whereabouts of the Andhra Pradesh helicopter - whether it went missing following bad weather or Naxalites were involved,'' he said.
The official said the safety of VVIPs during the ensuing polls will now be a priority. "Political parties will have to ensure that before hiring a helicopter or aircraft, the safety norms are in accordance with those prescribed by the DGCA. They will also have to ensure that the helicopters and aircraft are equipped with satphone equipment and night-landing facilities are available,'' he said.
03/09/09 Prafulla Marpakwar/Times of India

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Categories: Indian Aviation- In General Sep 2009, Safety Sep 2009