Report over 20-day illness & refrain from controlling duties without being declared fit, DGCA to ATCOs

NEW DELHI: The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has asked air traffic controllers (ATCOs) to “refrain from controlling duties while suffering from any medical illness (lasting over 20 days) or injury or on taking any medication”.
Citing the rulebook, the regulator says aviation licence holder “shall not exercise the privileges of his/her licence without being declared ‘fit’ after a fresh (‘special’) medical examination in the event of his/her having suffered from a sickness or injury rendering him incapable of discharging his/her duties for a continuous period of more than 20 days, or which is likely to cause incapacity or impair his/her efficiency in the discharge of his/her duties.”
These provisions apply if there is a decrease in medical fitness attributable to the effects of an intercurrent disease, injury, alcohol or other psychoactive substances, medications, fatigue and disrupted regular work/rest schedules which might render the holder of a licence or rating incapable of meeting the medical requirements.