Few copters can reach disaster-hit places: Yechury

Bangalore: Imagine if there's a chopper service in any remote, disaster-prone area to airlift the injured and rush them to hospital within the 'golden hour'. To address this, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has set up a helicopter group to build infrastructure for helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS).
At a national seminar on HEMS on Tuesday, speakers stressed on the need for more comprehensive helicopter services to cater to India's remote areas.
Chairman of the parliamentary standing committee on transport, tourism and culture Sitaram Yechury said helicopter operations are still very inadequate in the country. "..We have undertaken a study on usage and safety of helicopters. But we will make sure the matter is raised in public forum. For HEMS to be implemented, government support is important."
The DGCA, he felt, should look into the issue of inadequate space for heliports even in a mega metropolis like Mumbai. In 2000, 40% of 825,000 villages lacked all-weather-access roads, so helicopter medical service was a far-fetched idea.
29/09/10 Times of India

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Categories: Indian Aviation- In General Sep 2010, New Sep 2010