CURRENT AFFAIRS

Detailed explanation-1: -New Delhi: Giving in to pressure from the National Green Tribunal (NGT), the Directorate General of Civil Aviation late last month ordered airlines that they would have to pay a fine of Rs 50, 000 if they dump human waste mid-flight.

Detailed explanation-2: -Aircraft lavatories typically store sewage in tanks, to be disposed off after the plane has landed. However, on the rare occasion that excrement does leak from a plane, it normally freezes instantly due to the cold temperatures at cruising height.

Detailed explanation-3: -Waste whizzes through the plumbing to the rear of the plane, where it’s stored in sealed tanks, well away from passengers, until the plane touches down. On a long-haul 747 flight, travelers might flush the toilets around 1, 000 times, creating roughly 230 gallons of sewage-that’s a lot of waste!

Detailed explanation-4: -From the lavatory, the waste travels through the plane’s pipes to the rear of the plane and remains in a tank that can only be accessed from the exterior of the plane-pilots can’t clear the tanks during the flight. The tank is emptied by special service trucks once the plane is safely on the ground.

Detailed explanation-5: -Airlines aren’t allowed to drop sewage from the sky – pilots have no dump button – but there have been incidents. Fictional ones, too.