AERA hikes Bangalore airport charges; IATA opposes the move

June 16, 2014

New Delhi, Jun 16: Airport tariff regulator AERA has fixed Rs 1,368 and Rs 342 per international and domestic passenger as user development fee (UDF) and other charges for Bangalore's Kempegowda airport but the airlines have opposed the ''over 100 per cent'' hike in tariff.Bangalore airport

In a latest order, the Airports Economic Regulatory Authority (AERA) also fixed charges for aircraft landing, parking, housing and other charges from July 1 till March 31 next year and higher tariff rates from April 1, 2015 till March end 2016.

While only UDF levels were lowered for 2015-16 to Rs1,226 for embarking international passengers and Rs 306 for domestic passengers, all the other tariffs were hiked for this period.

Terming the move as "a double whammy to Indian aviation", IATA's Regional Vice President (Asia Pacific) Conrad Clifford said in a statement that international airlines operating to Bangalore would now face "a steep increase in their operating costs with a 145 per cent increase in landing charges and a 105 per cent increase in parking charges".

The official of the global airlines body said it was also "disappointing" that AERA "deviated from the single till approach" in the case of Kempegowda International Airport which was "contrary to what AERA had previously opined that the single till approach was most appropriate for India".

"This deviation in policy can increase costs for airlines and passengers, thus negatively impacting traffic. This will hurt an already fragile Indian aviation industry," Clifford said, adding that funding airport development was "not a valid justification to deviate from the single till approach."

Under the 'single till' principle, airport activities, both aeronautical and commercial, are taken into consideration to determine the level of airport charges. By contrast, only aeronautical activities are taken into consideration under the dual till principle.

Maintaining that funding of the airport could be done through other means like equity, loans and bonds, Clifford said: "Instead, airport users are being penalised by being a convenient source of funding. They are unfairly made to pay for facilities that have yet to be built."

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has been stressing that aviation should be treated as a strategic national asset that would pay dividends to the Indian economy.

Aviation supports 8.8 million Indian jobs and underpins 1.5 per cent of GDP, as per IATA figures.

"This could be a lot more. And the more globally connected that India is, the more opportunities will be created for jobs, trade and inward investment. AERA's decision is a step backwards for Indian aviation," the IATA officer said from Singapore.

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News Network
June 30,2020

Srinagar, Jun 30: On the deadly attack at Karachi Stock Exchange on Monday morning, a Kashmiri social activist and journalist warned that the incident is a stark reminder to all those in Pakistan supporting Jihad and attacked Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan for ignoring development agenda in Balochistan.

Yana Mir, the editor-in-chief of The Real Kashmir News, said, "Karachi Stock Exchange attack is a reminder to all those in Pakistan supporting Jihad. Remember @imrankhan that Youth is restless and they want development agenda. These young boys of BLA are also looking for a life which is settled and peaceful. Wake up Imran Khan and you Kashmiris also. Pakistan is going to finish you. Open your eyes."
Four heavily armed terrorists attacked the busy Pakistan Stock Exchange building in Karachi with grenades today, killing four security guards and a police officer before being shot dead in an exchange of fire, authorities said.

The terrorists, who arrived in a car, stormed the Karachi Stock Exchange building by firing indiscriminately and lobbed grenades at the main gate of the multi-storey building situated in the city's high-security commercial hub.

Balochistan is a well-known region rich in natural resources but the Balochis have always been deprived of basic facilities. No hospitals are available in Balochistan. If there are some then medical facilities and equipment are not available in hospitals. The education system is pathetic and similar is the case with the infrastructure: the roads, water system, agriculture and almost all fields of life.

It is pertinent to mention that enforced disappearances and abductions by the Pakistani military establishment have also been carried out regularly and for innumerable times in Balochistan. Leaders, activists, and vocal members of various student organizations have been detained by the security forces and kept in confinement. While others have been shot dead.

This crime against humanity has been going on for so long and so systematically in Balochistan that it has come to be considered as a normal state of affairs in the province. Many social and human rights activists have flagged the issue of oppression by the Pakistani establishment before the United Nations and other international agencies.

According to the Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances, an entity established by the Pakistani government, about 5,000 cases of enforced disappearances have been registered since 2014. Most of them are still unresolved.

Independent local and international human rights organisations put the numbers much higher. Around 20,000 have reportedly been abducted only from Balochistan, out of which more than 2,500 have turned up dead as bullet-riddled dead bodies, bearing signs of extreme torture.

Before being elected as Prime Minister, Imran Khan had admitted in multiple interviews about the involvement of Pakistan's intelligence agencies in enforced disappearances as well as extrajudicial killings and vowed to resign if he was unable to put an end to the practice, holding those involved responsible. But times have passed and only reports are available to narrate the true story.

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News Network
June 17,2020

Jaipur, Jun 17: Police have registered an FIR against a television news anchor for allegedly making an objectionable comment on Sufi saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti.

The FIR was lodged after a complaint against News 18 India anchor Amish Devgan by a "khadim" at the saint's dargah in Ajmer on Tuesday night.

"He is running a communal agenda against the Muslim community. The dargah of Sufi saint is visited not only by Muslims but by people of all religions and his comments have hurt the sentiments of all," Syed Sarwar Chishti said.

The anchor later apologised on Twitter. "In 1 of my debates, I inadvertently referred to 'Khilji' as Chishti. I sincerely apologise for this grave error and the anguish it may hv caused to followers of the Sufi saint Moinuddin Chishti, whom I revere. I have in the past sought blessings at his dargah. I regret this error," Devgan tweeted.

Dargah SHO Hem Raj said a case was registered under sections of the Indian Penal Code and the IT Act for outraging religious feelings.

Another complaint was lodged by activist Muzaffar Bharti at the office of Ajmer's Superintendent of Police.

He accused Devgan and his team of trying to incite riots through "misleading and objectionable debates on communal issues".

He said Devgan made highly objectionable remarks on the revered saint, which shall not be tolerated.

"The dargah of Moinuddin Chishti is the symbol of brotherhood and harmony and crores of people of different religions all over the world have deep love and faith in the saint," he said.

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News Network
March 19,2020

Mar 19: Amidst spiralling cases of COVID-19 in the country, Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Ashwini Kumar Choubey on Thursday advocated "absorbing sunlight" as a possible precaution against coronavirus that has claimed over 8,000 lives globally.

Speaking to reporters outside parliament, Choubey said 10-15 minutes in the sun would build immunity as sunlight provides Vitamin D.

"From 11 am to 2 pm the sun is shining brightly. We should spend at least 10-15 minutes to absorb sunlight so that we get vitamin D which improves the immunity of our body and also kills such viruses. All should be aware of (this fact)," he said when asked about the spread of coronavirus.

COVID-19 cases in India climbed to 169 on Thursday after 18 fresh cases were reported from various parts of the country, according to the Union health ministry.

The cases include 25 foreign nationals -- 17 from Italy, 3 from the Philippines, two from the UK, one each belonging to Canada, Indonesia and Singapore.

The figure also includes three deaths reported from Delhi, Karnataka and Maharashtra so far.

According to the World Health Organisation, the novel coronavirus has killed over 8,000 people globally and infected more than two lakh.

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