Kin of air crash victims allege disparity in compensation payment

Mangalore Air Crash Victims’ Family Association has said at least five families of the victims have expressed their dissatisfaction over the amount being provided to them as compensation, which is far less than the amount assured under guidelines of Montreal Convention.

Association President Mohammed Beary, speaking to Deccan Herald said that if the families are happy with the amount provided to them, they are free to accept it but for those families, which are not satisfied with the compensation, Association will consult the international law firms.

In this regard, Beary said the Association would soon consult an advocate and move the court.

Mohammed said that the present legal advisor firm for Air India, Mulla and Mulla computes compensation for victims based on Income Certificate of the victims.

“The problem in this kind of computing is that the kin often get lesser compensation because the victim had surely been earning much more than the amount mentioned in the Income Certificate.

The certificate mentions only the basic salary and not the additional perks like the accommodation, overtime etc,” said Mohammed citing example of a family from Kerala, which lost its sole bread winner and this family got a compensation of Rs 35 lakh as against the assured Rs 76 lakh in the Montreal Convention guidelines.

Do not need alms

Mohammed said that it is time Air India realises the depth of the grief of the families and seriousness of the situation and stops distributing alms to the kin.

“Let them provide adequate compensation to the families according to the previous judgments on the international courts for such cases and in tune to the Montreal Convention guidelines,” he said and added that Montreal Convention stipulates that if there is a fault on the part of the aircraft or its employees, then liability of company ceases and higher compensation is to be paid to the kin of the victims after going through necessary formalities.

Protest

Legal heirs of the May 22 air crash victims will stage a protest on September 8 at Mangalore Airport against airlines, Civil Aviation Minister and against the Union Government.

The protest will be led by Kasargod district unit of Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) and kin of the victims from Udupi and Dakshina Kannada will also take part.