Families of 6 air crash victims get interim relief . Many did not get.

Families of 6 air crash victims get interim relief . Many did not get.

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, May 28: For the first time in its history, Air India gave interim compensation on Friday to the families of six persons killed in the May 22 crash.

Addressing presspersons here after distributing relief cheques, S. Kundra, Executive Director (Finance) of Air India, said: “This is the first time in the history of our airline that we are giving interim compensation. This is also, perhaps, the quickest compensation from our side.”

 

Interim compensation was given to the families of Irshad Ahmed, Reshmasantosh Rai, Nalandshaun Rai, Vihasantosh Rai, Melwyn Kiran Menezes and Rama Satish. The compensation for the death of an adult is Rs. 10 lakh and it is half the amount for children below 12 years.

Compensation was given to the families of the six persons killed in the crash after documents establishing kinship were verified by the airline with the help of their legal aides. Sunil Kishen, Executive Director (Southern region) of Air India, said that the interim claim forms were on the airlines website which could be downloaded by the claimants. Complications, however, arose throughout the “interim compensation camp” opened by the airline for the benefit of the claimants in a hotel here.

Family members of over 50 plane crash victims, who had arrived at Hotel Ocean Pearl as instructed by Air India (AI) to receive compensation claim counselling, had to return after a long and disappointing wait on May 28, Friday. Families that had arrived from Bhatkal, Udupi, Kanhangad, Kasargod, Chikmagalur, and other place suffered the most. 

AI’s legal team of six advocates, led by Hoshang Nanavati, was present. A team of 20 “Angels of Air India” were also present to assist the families. The counselling commenced at 2:30 p.m.; and families were called in one by one for counselling via a token system. However, the counselling proceeded at a snail’s pace; and number of disappointed families were asked to come again on May 29. By 5:30 p.m., the legal team could counsel only 3 – 4 families. 

Assistant General Manager of AI Sudhir Ameen apologized to the bereaved families, following which the token holders were divided into different batches and given different timings.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The bereaved families say that the officials are demanding more documents along with the signatures of doctors who had allowed them to take the bodies of their loved ones home. Ijaz Shareef, the brother of Mohammed Usman, the survivor who was admitted to Unity Hospital, Mangalore, said that the officials had initially asked them to furnish documents such as passports and visas; but now they were asked to provide documents such as marriage certificate, proof of relationship certificate, ration cards, NoC from the police department, doctors name, address, telephone numbers, and so on. 

At 6:30 p.m., Preetha Menezes, a relative of one of the victims received a compensation cheque. Kishen said that she received the compensation because her document verification was complete. 

The legal team provided information regarding documents required during the counselling. Kishan claims that the claim forms, as uploaded on the website, are very simple. Claimants only have to establish their credentials and their relationship to the dead person. The solicitor will then verify documents and request clarifications. The death certificate is not required. 

He further explained that AI is giving interim compensation for the first time; and the amount is released from AI, not from the insurance companies. AI plans to claim the insurance amount from the insurance companies later, he said

He informed that if claimants produce the accurate documents, the interim compensation will be given as early as possible. If claimants have still not received their compensations after two days, the AI plans to conduct another camp and will inform the families in advance.

AI officials such as S. Kundra, Chellam Prasad, A. K. Agarwal, Andy D’Souza, and others were also present.