HC seeks test report on anti-collision lights for defence helicopters

HC seeks test report on anti-collision lights for defence helicopters
PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

New Delhi, Sept 13: The Delhi High Court today sought from the Centre a test report on a private firm's Anti-Collision Lights (ACLs) approved for defence helicopters allegedly without any tests at the risk of safety.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice Arijit Passayat and Justice D K Jain asked Defence Ministry, Chief Executive of Centre for Military Airworthiness and Certification (CEMILAC), Director of Aeronautics (Ministry of Defence) and the Delhi-based company Electro Magneto Parmanento (EMP) to submit the institutional test report of the ACLs by October 19, the next date of hearing.

The government counsel told the bench that the test of the ACLs could not be conducted at Central Research Institute (CRI), Dehradun, because of some faults in the machines.

The quality of the ACLs for the defence helicopters was challenged in a public interest litigation (PIL) by retired Wing Commander Prabhjot Singh Sandhu alleging that the Defence Ministry gave its approval to EMP for manufacturing of the equipment without proper investigation about infrastructure available with the company and its capacity to manufacture and supply the same.

Sandhu's counsel Amit S Chadha, while requesting the court to summon entire record from CRI Dehradun, claimed that the test conducted at the institute as per the court's earlier direction, had "failed".

However, the court said let the ministry submit the test report and its affidavit first.

Sandhu in the PIL said ACLs was a vital equipment for the safety of aircraft/helicopters in flight or on the ground during the night and bad visibility as these act as light signals to an approaching plane from other direction at a distance of 15 km in clear sky and four km in bad weather.

A bad quality ACL could result in various risk factorslike short circuits, radio interference resulting in cutting of the communications between Pilot and the ground control, cause magnetic interference, deflection of aircraft compass and failure of electrical system, the petition said.

It said as per the required standard at least 12 tests including magnetic interference, insulation resistance, vibration, climatic, salt spray and colour optical qualities were necessary before clearing the manufacturing.

The sample tests of ACLs being supplied by the EMP had "failed" on four counts namely; the magnetic interference, tropical exposure, radio interference and optical quality, Sandhu claimed.

The company was lacking in the basic infrastructure for manufacturing equipment at its Okhla Industrial area unit as a large portion of its premises was let out to some parties either for storing goods or any other purposes, it alleged.

The company's office at Gali Batashan in walled city, was only a small shop, Sandhu said annexing photograps of the same as proof with the petition.

"These shortcomings are so vital that if they are not rectified, it will cause operational hazard endangering the helicopters and its occupants," Wing Commander Sandhu, who claims to have flown all types of jet planes, said.