Civil aviation minister seeks detailed report on cover-up

After MiD DAY's exposé on November 5, 2012 titled "Fake reports tried to hush up near misses at airport", the ministry of civil aviation for the first time, swung into action to take stock of the issue. Union Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh has now asked for a detailed report on the matter.

Tough talking: Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh

Singh said, "I have read the MID DAY article and have asked for a detailed report on the matter. My personal secretary is following up the issue. However, I will wait for the report before commenting." Singh also maintained that if anyone was found guilty, they would be severely punished.

Meanwhile, former Jet Airways pilot Captain Girish Kaushik said, "It is understood, from the news report, that a fake inquiry was held just to take punitive action against the pilots. This is not only unethical and shameful, but also detrimental to the safety standards in aviation where safety should be given utmost importance.

If the inquiry and the report were fake as mentioned, the DGCA must look into the matter very seriously and take the guilty to task. The reason for holding any inquiry should always be to ascertain the facts behind an incident or accident, so that a similar situation does not arise again, and not to play a blame game or to take punitive action."

Kaushik further suggested that Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), upon ordering an investigation, must properly schedule it and follow up. He also maintained that persons involved in such incidents must also be made available to the inquiry, to authenticate incidents emerging in the final report. u00a0