Counsel settles claims of 30% AI crash affected

March 19, 2011

Mangalore, March 19: Ten months after the horrific Air India Express IX-812 crash which resulted in the death of 158 passengers, the legal counsel for Air India - Mulla & Mulla - Mumbai, has settled claims of 30% of the families affected by the accident.

Kapil Aseri, chief finance officer, Air India, said that till date a total of 52 cases have been settled for an overall amount of Rs 36.78 crore, including that of three of the eight survivors.

Advocate and solicitor Hoshang D Nanavati from Mulla & Mulla, told media persons that even though 52 cases have been settled, they have had discussions with many more families. "We were making good progress. Unfortunately, a writ petition filed in Kerala High Court claiming Rs 1 lakh Special Drawing Rights (SDR) was the minimum slowed the process. The case will come up for hearing on March 23," he said.

The Carriage by Air Act, 1972 serves as the legal regime governing passenger compensation in the event of air accidents in international carriage. Both damage on account of death and bodily injury are covered under the scope of the Convention.

Under this Act, which has been amended as per The Montreal Convention, a kin of each victim is entitled for up to Rs 1 lakh SDR which, as per the present exchange rates, is worth about USD 1.6 lakh.

Nanavati said the amount arrived at during the final settlement after counselling, was paid minus the interim amount already paid to victims' families. Air India paid interim compensation of Rs 10 lakh to the kin of victims who were above 12 years and Rs 5 lakh for those below 12. Also, Rs 2 lakh was paid to the injured. The interim relief amounting to Rs 14.06 crore was paid within three weeks of the crash.

"We were able settle cases where that issue (Rs 1 lakh SDR) did not arise," said the legal counsel pointing out that from the settlement done so far, cases have been settled for more than Rs 1 lakh SDR (roughly Rs 71 lakh).

"We are waiting for the judgment in the case. Till it comes through, the parties are not willing to settle. Every time we held the meeting, the affected would say they would rather wait for the judgment and then decide," said Nanavati.

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Waqf row: BJP stages ‘our land, our right’ protest across Karnataka for second day

News Network

November 22,2024

Bengaluru, Nov 22: For the second day running, the Karnataka BJP on Friday staged a statewide protest condemning the government’s alleged move to notify land of farmers as Waqf property.

The BJP staged a protest before the offices of Deputy Commissioners at district headquarters.

The BJP leaders are vehemently demanding that the state government cancel a 1974 Gazette notification in this regard.

The agitators are also demanding scrapping of the Waqf Board and the resignation of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Minister for Waqf and Housing Zameer Ahmad Khan.

The BJP MLAs, MLCs, MPs gathered in the premises of Freedom Park and staged a protest under the leadership of Leader of Opposition R. Ashoka and slammed the state government.

MLA T.S. Srivatsa led the protest in Mysuru and hundreds of party workers and farmers staged the protest under the leadership of former MP Pratap Simha in Kodagu.

Former MP Sumalatha Ambareesh led the agitation in Mandya.

This was the first time that Sumalatha took part in the party’s programme after the Lok Sabha elections.

State President B.Y. Vijayendra claimed, “The Congress government in Karnataka is issuing notices to farmers claiming the ownership of their lands to the Waqf Board and pushing them on the streets overnight.”

In the first week of December, three teams formed by the BJP will travel across the state and record the grievances of farmers.

“The state government is attempting to snatch away the lands belonging to temples as well,” Vijayendra alleged and added that the teams would comprise all senior leaders of the BJP.

Meanwhile, the police have taken Sri Ram Sena chief Pramod Muthalik into custody while staging a protest march to the office of Zameer Ahmad Khan in Bengaluru.

Muthalik along with Hindutva activists was planning to lay siege to Zameer’s office over the Waqf row.

The police stopped Muthalik and requested him to submit the memorandum by reaching the minister’s office in a vehicle. However, Muthalik refused to go with the police and continued his footmarch. The police took him into custody following arguments.

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