Soon, if the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security has its way,
passengers may be spared the indignity of having to remove their
prostheses for security checks at airports across India.
The BCAS is drafting a standard operating procedure for security and airline staff to screen people with implants and prostheses and those with Autism, Down's Syndrome and similar special needs. The SOP will also cover people and dogs that accompany differently-abled passengers.
"We have called a meeting of all stakeholders this week to
formulate an SOP on ways to screen differently-abled passengers. We have
invited NGO's, security personnel from CISF and airline officials. We
have some rules but they will have to be fine-tuned to make them more
sensitive towards the need of these passengers," a senior BCAS official
said.
The move comes in the wake of reports of passengers being forced
to remove their prostheses in full public view. One passenger, Suranjana
Ghosh Aikara, 38, a marketing professional, had alleged that CISF
personnel at Mumbai airport harassed her and forced her to remove her
prosthetic leg even after she produced valid medical documents.
The CISF, as also airlines, have defended their personnel, arguing that they were just following the orders of the BCAS.
"We have to address the issue of sensitivity without compromising security," said the BCAS official. "There are cases such as of those with heart implants who can not go through metal detectors as it can affect their functioning. We have studied the subject and also the procedures being followed by the Transport Security Administration of the USA and incorporated all this in the draft SOP."
Source : The Indian Express , 2nd August 2013
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