India: Set To Fine Airlines That Empty Their Plane’s Toilet Tanks In Mid-Air.

India is to start fining airlines that empty their plane’s toilet tanks in mid-air, after reports of human waste being dropped on people’s homes.The country’s National Green Tribunal, an environmental court, has introduced a 50,000 rupee (£600) charge on any airline that fails to store the waste onboard so it can be properly disposed of.

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On-the-spot inspections will be introduced to check an aircraft’s human waste tanks are not empty upon landing.Any airline whose planes are found to have empty tanks will have to pay the “environment compensation” fine, the Press Trust of India reported.Aeroplane waste tanks are normally emptied by airport staff once the plane lands but there have been numerous incidents of leaks resulting in excrement being dropped on residential areas.

After a court hearing, India’s National Green Tribunal said, “Aircraft on landing shall be subjected to surprise inspections to see that human waste tanks are not empty."If any aircraft is found to be violating such circular or [their] tanks are found empty on landing, they shall be subjected to environment compensation of 50,000 rupees by default.The move came after a retired army officer, Lt Gen Satwant Singh Dahiya, took action against airlines he said were frequently dropping human waste on his house near Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport.

He claimed the “walls and floors” of the terrace of his house were "splattered with large patches of excreta dumped by aircraft flying in front of the airport”.