January 19, 2017 TnH Global

All aircraft compliant with noise pollution norms: DGCA to NGT

The NGT had earlier expressed displeasure over the government’s failure to fix environmental norms on noise pollution.

Aviation regulator DGCA has told the National Green Tribunal that all aircraft operating from India were compliant with noise standard requirements laid down by International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), a UN agency, in order to operate globally. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) told a bench headed by NGT chief Justice Swatanter Kumar that the fleet of “Indian scheduled operators” is quite new and the aircraft are quieter than their earlier versions resulting in less noise pollution.

“Noise during take-off is the maximum noise generated from an aircraft as full power is required for lift off of the aircraft. The fleet of Indian scheduled operators is quite new and the aircraft are quieter than their earlier versions. All aircraft are compliant with noise standard requirements laid down by ICAO in order to operate globally.

“DGCA has issued a Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR) on noise management of aircraft operations at airports on December 18, 2014. Paragraph 3.2.2 of said CAR has directed aircraft operators to develop safe operating procedures to land at any airport with minimal use of thrust reversal without compromising the safety and runway capacity. However, the flight crew will have final authority to decide on use of thrust reversal on case to case basis,” DGCA told the green panel.

Thrust reversal, also called reverse thrust, is the temporary diversion of an aircraft engine’s exhaust so that it is directed forward, rather than backwards. The submissions came during hearing of a plea a batch of pleas filed by the residents of south Delhi’s Vasant Kunj, Bijwasan and Indian Spinal Injuries Centre (ISIC), a super-specialty hospital, seeking directions to reduce noise level in the residential areas near the IGI airport here.

The green panel asked all the parties in the case to file their suggestions on methods to reduce noise pollution caused due to operation of flights and posted the matter for final arguments on February 23. The pleas alleged that the noise created by aircraft at the IGI airport was affecting the health of the residents of nearby areas. The hospital claimed that the noise created by planes were usually between the range of 75 and 94 decibels, which was “clearly beyond the stipulated standards laid down under the Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000”.

The NGT had earlier expressed displeasure over the government’s failure to fix environmental norms on noise pollution and directed the Ministry of Environment, DGCA and the Central Pollution Control Board to convene a meeting and take a clear decision on the issue.

News Source: http://indianexpress.com/