PIONEER NEWS SERVICE/ Dehradun
Expressing grief over death of passengers in the Helicopter crash in Kedarnath on Sunday, the Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) president Karan Mahara said that the fifth helicopter accident in last 40 days in Char Dham Yatra shows the apathy, carelessness and insensitivity of the State government.
He said that the helicopters are operated for the convenience of the passengers but the present State government has ignored all the safety norms in the operation of the helicopter services. Mahara said that the air traffic control system of the system has failed completely and the lives of the passengers are being kept at stake by allowing sorties in bad weather. He said that after every such accident the government sets up an investigation committee but action against those responsible has never been taken.
Mahara said that an independent high level inquiry should be ordered to investigate helicopter operations in the Char Dham Yatra. He demanded that the responsibilities of the helicopter companies should be fixed and the strict guidelines for weather, technology and pilot training should be issued by the government.
