Non-payment of staff is not DGCA's concern: Arun Mishra

Newly appointed DGCA Arun Mishra told it was not the DGCA’s intention to catch and kill an airline, but to improve safety. Whenever there was an audit, the problem was found out, to be rectified by the airlines.

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The new Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), Arun Mishra, took over at a time when questions are being raised on the leniency with airlines. Also being grossly understaffed, it faces an International Civil Aviation Organisation safety audit this December.

Questioned on the take of Kingfisher Airlines, the DGCA told, the last audit report would be followed with another audit, due in August-September. He was concerned with safety, but at the moment, they did not have conclusive proof. When they do, that the operation is unsafe, they would stop it.

He told, the DGCA’s intention was not to catch and kill an airline, but to improve safety. Whenever there was an audit, the problem was found out, to be rectified by the airlines.

He also told there was a misconception about cannibalisation of aircraft. It was done everywhere and was not disallowed by DGCA. It was just that when a part was taken out from one plane to another, the airlines was supposed to keep records of both the planes.

He clarified that as far as the salary was concerned, it was not in DGCA’s domain.

There had been criticism that the DGCA was very lenient with safety standards, not just with KFA but with other airlines, too. He agreed that the accident record did confirm that they are a lax regulator. However, the accident record had been good. The accidents that did take place were mainly in helicopters, because they did not follow the SOP (Standard Operating Procedures).

He also said that of 130 officials, 20 to 25 implicated on account of illegal use of their posts would continue to serve till the ministry completed its enquiry.

On the audit by ICAO to be held in December, determining if India is safe for flying, he told that a task force had been set up and had drawn people from outside. On a daily basis, a big effort was made to prepare ourselves for this audit.

Highly understaffed, they have just 130 permanent officials and 100 contractual ones. They require 500 people. He expressed hope to fill the posts in a year. They would take some retired, experienced people on a contractual basis till they recruit permanent people. They also got some people on deputation also from Air India and the Airports Authority of India.

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