By Sanjay Singh, IANS
New Delhi : Although airports the world over carry out random breath-analyser tests on ground employees to detect alcohol use, India is yet to follow suit.
Such tests are compulsory for aircraft crew including pilots. However, the civil aviation ministry has not extended the rule for airport employees that include air traffic controllers, tarmac drivers and other key ground personnel.
Dinesh Trivedi (Trinamul Congress), member of a parliamentary panel on civil aviation, said such tests on air traffic controllers would go a long way in strengthening security at Indian airports. Trivedi said he had raised the issue at a recent meeting of the committee of public undertakings.
He also asked the chairman of the Airports Authority of India, K. Ramalingam, why key airport personnel and ground duty officials were not checked for alcohol use while on duty.
“I also wanted to know if drivers working on the airfield were subjected to these checks,” Trivedi told IANS.
Although Ramalingam assured him this will soon be put into action, Trivedi said he is yet to get a response from the government.
“This issue is being ignored. Though we are living under the shadow of terror threats, the government is just not bothered.”
“Pilots have been caught smoking in cockpits and frequent accidents are taking place at airports,” said Trivedi.
According to him, an airport employee under the influence of alcohol could endanger the lives of passengers.
“He can be influenced by alcohol and could be used for carrying out subversive activities. I feel threatened,” said Trivedi.
However, a senior official in the aviation ministry said breath- analyser tests were only conducted during festive occasions like Holi, Diwali and New Year’s Eve.
M.N. Chaturvedi, regional deputy commissioner of security of the Bureau of Civil Aviation, told IANS that although Trivedi’s ideas were “wonderful”, they were not required now.
“Passengers are served alcohol in aircraft. Do they pose a threat?” argued Chaturvedi.
He said there have been several cases when action has been taken against airport officials for consuming alcohol on duty.
“But nowhere have we found anyone succumbing to any influence and having compromised security,” he said.