Poop falling from skies: NGT raps DGCA, warns DG of withholding salary

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Friday slammed the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) for not complying with its previous order to ensure that airlines operating at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport don’t empty toilet tanks mid-air.

Taking strong objection to the issue, a bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel warned the salary of Director General of Civil Aviation would be withheld if the order was not complied by August 31.

“Neither, there is any valid explanation nor there is compliance by the DGCA. Since there is a repeated defiance by the DGCA with absolutely no acceptable explanation, we have no option but to direct the DGCA to comply with the directions already issued on or before August 31,” the bench also comprising Justice Jawad Rahim said.

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The court also warned that if there was “continued defiance” by the DGCA, it may consider the prosecution of the Director General on the next date of hearing.

“If the order remains uncompiled, the Director General may be required to remain present in person,” the bench said.

In October 2016, a Delhi resident had moved the NGT alleging that the houses in his neighbourhood were damaged due to the poop dumped by airlines from planes at night.

The petitioner, Lt Gen (retd) Satwant Singh Dahiya claimed that faeces were splattered from aircraft on his South Delhi house before Diwali in 2016.

On this, the tribunal had directed the DGCA to issue a circular to airlines operating at the IGI Airport to pay Rs 50,000 fine if their planes are found dumping the human waste mid-air.

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(With inputs from PTI)