A CAG report said a Court of Inquiry to investigate the causes of the accident held 3 officers responsible for their failure in adequate supervision.
IAF's capabilities to monitor low-level flying enemy aircraft have taken a hit as one of its two aerostat radars deployed along the Pakistan border was damaged in an accident in 2009 due to "failure" of its three officers and is likely to be operational only by next year.
A CAG report tabled in Parliament on Wednesday said a Court of Inquiry to investigate the causes of the accident involving the Rs338 crore aerostat "held three officers responsible for their failure in adequate supervision" of the maintenance activities.
"All the three officers were awarded severe displeasure for six months as they failed to carry out their responsibilities which led to the accident of the aerostat costing Rs338 crore," the report said.
India had procured the two aerostat radars at a cost of Rs676 crore in 2007 to meet its low level surveillance requirement against enemy aircraft and drones.
Slamming the Air Force for the mishap, the CAG said the repair of the damaged system is estimated to cost Rs302 crore.
"The recovery programme of the damaged aerostat would take 18 months from the commencement of repair work. However, the IAF could issue the RFP to vendor for damage assessment in April 2010 and the contract was not concluded by June 2011," it said.
The government auditor said against the authorised four meteorological officers and nine meteorological assistants, "the Unit had no meteorological officers and only two meteorological assistants were there."
Inadequate manpower at the unit resulted in failure to continually monitor the development of clouds and changes in wind direction and the aerostat balloon met with the accident in May 2009, it said.
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