Concerned over recent incidents of violation of the rights of differently-abled passengers by some airlines, the Civil Aviation Minister has decided to convene a meeting to discuss the issue with voluntary organisations working for their rights.
In a letter to convener of the Disabled Rights Group (DRG) Javed Abidi, Civil Aviation Secretary Nasim Zaidi said the Ministry was concerned about non-adherence to the regulatory framework.
All steps assured
He informed Mr. Abidi that Joint Secretary G. Asok Kumar had been directed to convene a meeting to discuss the issues raised by DRG. “I assure you that the Ministry will take all possible steps to not only ensure compliance with the regulatory framework but, if need be, also to strengthen it further.”
Recent incidents
The Ministry's decision comes in the wake of reports of recent incidents — a disabled passenger was ordered to be disembarked from the aircraft by the captain of a private airline, and another was not provided a standard wheelchair.
Keywords: Differently abled passengers, passenger safety, disabled friendly, human rights, cerebral palsy, SpiceJet, International Air Transport Authority, DGCA, Jeeja Ghosh
We appreciate the concern of the Government. But it is height of hypocrisy to stop with infinitesimal minority of creamy layer of flying populace while ignoring the plight of million disabled and old who have been bearing the brunt of callous indifference of administrators of public utilities like Railways, buses, public offices etc. It is not uncommon come across instances of railway upper sleeper berths being allotted at random to people of advanced age.
Must we always reinvent the wheel in India? There's already an
existing defination 4 such passengers,like people with special needs
or people with disabilities. But u have 2 invent an awkward and clumsy
phrase 'people with different abilities'. People in your
'phraseology'dept.aren't very creative are they?
Mere oral or written assurance will not and will never help. Compensate the Victim first. Take severe action on the erring Airline Staff and the Airlines. This is the best way to assure that future incidents will not happen and this is the best way to instill confidence in the minds of all differently abled persons. In future the Government of India should come out with a legislation to ban all Ministers and Officials to make statements like this. Instead they should restrict the statement to only tell general public what action they have taken in this regard. This wiil save lot of wasted man-hours of the Government.
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