Centre has asked Air India to strengthen its operational oversight and “take responsibility” for ensuring safety following the August 4 Phuket-Delhi flight scare, while directing the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to urgently tighten its rules on drug testing of aviation personnel, according to a report by Times of India's Saurabh Sinha .
The aviation ministry has asked the regulator to revise the existing testing framework, increase the proportion of personnel subjected to mandatory dope tests and impose tougher penalties on those who test positive for recreational or prohibited drugs. At the same time, officials have been asked to provide additional opportunities to personnel whose positive results are attributable to prescribed medicines.
