Mangalore: Air Crash-affected Families to Hold Dharna at Airport

Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (SP)

Mangalore, Oct 17: A special meeting of Mangalore Air India Crash Victims Families Association was held in the city on Sunday October 16. The affected families decided to go in a procession to the local airport and hold dharna there, if the union ministry of aviation fails to properly vibe to their woes and take initiatives towards providing justice to the affected families.

It may be recalled that a delegation from the association had met union aviation minister, Vayalar Ravi, during his recent visit to the city a few days back. Ravi had invited the representatives of the association to come to New Delhi for a detailed dialogue on the issues concerned. The meeting was told that efforts to fix a date for the proposed meeting with the minister are being made.

Y Mohammed Beary, president of the association, informed the participants that Stephen Erickson was holding dialogues with the concerned agencies at the international level to ensure that the families of those who perished in last year’s Air India Express flight’s crash at the city airport get justifiable compensation in tune with Montreal Convention. The meeting authorized the president to fix a date to meet the minister and lead a delegation of representatives to New Delhi.

It also decided to go in a procession to the local airport and hold dharna there if the union minister fails to properly respond to their concerns. It was also decided to file an appeal in the Supreme Court, seeking vacation of a stay granted against the order of the Kerala High Court relating to payment of compensation to these families, granted by the second division bench of the High Court.

The meeting noted that only 62 of the 158 affected families have so far received compensation of varying degrees during the last 16 months since the crash. It was observed that the affected families were being made to bargain for the compensation, and persuaded to settle for a compensation that is not reasonable.  Taking note of the fact that a clear and transparent method is not being followed in settling compensation due to these families, association vice-president, Abbonu Maddadka, explained that the settlement sittings are not being held regularly.

Association office bearers, Habib Ullal, Varadaraj, Narayan, Hasanabba, and Abubakker were present at the meeting.

Passengers Asked to Report Early at Airport

A release from the airport here has asked the passengers to report at least 45 minutes before the scheduled departure time of their flights on Monday October 17.

The release added further that this has become necessary in view of the proposed protest envisaged at the airport premises by certain organizations today.