Mahima
The Indian Commercial Pilots Association requested the Delhi High Court to direct civil aviation regulator DGCA to suspend breath analyser tests (BAT) during Covid-19 pandemic.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) informed Justice Pratibha M. Singh that there has been a recommendation from the medical board permitting BAT.
The Association in response explained to the court that the medical board recommendation was given regarding air traffic controllers (ATCs).
The court asked DGCA to submit medical board’s recommendations on next hearing. ICPA sought suspension of BATs during the ongoing surge of infections in the pandemic.
Previous year, the High Court had issued an interim order suspending BATs through the tube process for ATCs.
Subsequently, it had modified the interim order and allowed BATs through tube process on the recommendations by the medical board.
The board had recommended that one machine would be used per person and not used for 12 hours once used.