The Supreme Court on Tuesday asked Centre to constitute within two weeks a high-level committee of experts to ascertain whether spraying insecticides or fumigation to ward off mosquitoes in aircraft was harmful for passengers. The court, which was hearing pleas against the National Green Tribunal’s ban on spraying of disinfectants and pesticides in aircraft, said that it was not in favour of a blanket restriction and may allow it on some routes where mosquito problem was prevalent after the committee submits its report.
The ministry of health and family welfare told the top court that spraying of disinfectants was not harmful and it was in accordance with guidelines of World Health Organisation. A bench of justices D Y Chandrachud and Indira Banerjee asked the Centre to constitute a high-level committee of experts, which may include a representative from airlines, within two weeks.
