Air India is keen on distributing the final compensation to the legal heirs of the victims of the May 22 plane crash in Mangalore in three months, company Chairman and Managing Director Arvind Jadhav has said.
“In the next three months we want to complete the entire process,” he told presspersons here on Tuesday after an all-religion meet to mourn the death of 158 persons in the tragedy.
Mr. Jadhav said that he was aware that the victims' relatives were having difficulties in getting the documents required for claiming compensation. While Air India was in touch with Dubai and other governments in West Asia regarding the documents, the district administration here was the best authority to decide on who had the right to claim compensation. “We do not know who is claiming the compensation. So you will have to bear with us. But I do not want to pay it to the wrong person,” he said.
Probe report soon
Secretary to the Department of Civil Aviation M. Madhavan Nambiar said that the inquiry into the air crash, being conducted by Air Marshal (retd.) B.N. Gokhale would soon be over. “As soon as the report is available, we will let you know,” he said.
Religious leaders from Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Sikh and Jain faiths spoke. The choir from the Bethany Convent presented a song in Kannada, specially composed for the meeting. Mr. Nambiar and Mr. Jadhav unveiled a memorial with the names of all the 158 victims inscribed on it at the crash site.
