M’lore: 812 Foundation expresses deep concern over state of aviation safety in India

By Robert D Costa
Bellevision Media Network

Mangalore, 2 Feb 2014: Air India Express (AIE) flight number IX 812 was not an accident, it was murder on the basis of specific warnings of the writ-petition in 1997 and 2002, followed by Special Leave Petition (SLP) in Supreme Court (SC) in 2003.  The letter petition submitted to Chief Justice of India (CJI) in 2006, the Airport Authority of India’s (AAI) own hazard identification, said Yashwant Shenoy, advocate and president of 812 Foundation.

 
Addressing media persons at the conference held at Maya International here on Saturday January 31 at 12-00pm, Shenoy expressed deep concern over the state of aviation safety in India, wherein US federal aviation authorities downgraded India’s safety to category 2 that is more or less applicable to sub-Saharan airlines.

 
COI report is a sham; it did not reveal the right reasons either due to incompetence or it could be an intentional cover up.  The non-frangible object at the end of runway was illegal.  No crash alarm sounded in Mangalore airport.  Fire and rescue response was after 10 minutes while standards required a response time of 2 to 3 minutes.  The COI covered up the flaws of AAI both in having an illegal structure at the end of runway and the inability of the fire and rescue teams to reach the site.  The Mangalore airport did not have an emergency plan, said Shenoy.

 

 
The dismissal of the writ and non registration of the letter petition not a sign of the judiciary failing the people.  The JMFCII took cognizance of the under Section 304 A of IPC.  812 Foundation would have pressed for charges under Sec 302 of IPC with new evidence of AAI Hazard Identification.   The Stay on trial made by Karnataka High Court without issuing notice to 812 Foundation when there was no urgency.  The disposal of the writ-petition by SC in converting into a representation to the ministry of civil aviation.  The review petition filed on grounds of violations of principles of natural justice (no man can be judge in his own cause) dismissed, added Shenoy.

 
During the trial for the pilot’s claim, 812 Foundation identified money laundering by Air India and registered a complaint with CBI.  812 Foundation filed a writ-petition in Bombay High Court (HC) against the CBI seeking the direction of the court for registration and investigation of financial irregularities of Air India including the role of the former aviation minister Praful Patel in the biometrics identification scam, stressed Shenoy.

 

 

 
812 Foundation rose from the ashes of ill-fated AIE Dubai – Mangalore flight number IX 812 crash in the deep wooded valley besides the tarmac at Kenjar, here.  812 borrow its name from the flight number.  812 crash was not an accident, but the result of systemic decay in the aviation safety system in India.  812 Foundation came into existence when 2 lawyers and a member of the victim’s family got together to address the decay in the aviation safety system in India.

 
Triveni Nayak – whose mother and husband perished in ill-fated 812 flight, a crusader for the cause along with Yashwant Shenoy, a few family members of victims were also present on the occasion.

 
For more info, log into www.812foundation.org