British Airways to pay Rs 5L for not helping stranded fliers

February 2, 2014

British_AirwaysNew Delhi, Feb 2: British Airways has been directed by a consumer forum to pay Rs 2.5 lakh each to two doctors for leaving them to "fend for themselves" after their flight from London to Delhi was cancelled due to a snowstorm.

The Delhi State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission said the airline "violated the basic courteous behaviour" expected of it by not making arrangements of food and stay for its passengers and their "violation of duty to care" is "actionable negligence".

The state commission made the observation while dismissing the airline's appeal against the order of a district consumer forum which had directed it to pay Rs 2.5 lakh each to the two Delhi-based doctors - Kamal Kumar and Mukesh Mehra.

"We find the appellant (airline) has violated the basic courteous behaviour by adding insult to humiliation caused to the complainant and other co-passenger by simply giving them marching orders to fend for themselves without any support in terms of food, stay arrangements and other conveniences.

"The attitude of the appellant had caused great stress mental tension agony emotional and physical suffering to the complainant as well as loss of medical practice. This is all nothing but deficiency of service by opposite party (airline) by not stretching out helping hand to passengers in time of crises... and is highly unbecoming," a bench of members S A Siddiqui and S C Jain said.

The airline in its appeal had contended that an unprecedented snowstorm in London had disrupted flights as well as shut down the city due to which majority of the ground staff of British Airways were unable to reach the airport and as result, the passengers could not be taken care of.

Citing the defence of act of god, the airline had said it is not liable to pay any compensation to the passengers.

The two doctors, in their separate complaints filed in the district forum, had said they had gone to Zurich to attend a medical conference and were scheduled to return to Delhi via London by a British Airways flight on January 30, 2003.

However, after they boarded the flight from London, they were told it was cancelled and were asked to de-board as well as arrange for food, stay and alternate tickets for their journey to Delhi on their own without any help from the airline, they had said in their complaints.

The district forum, on their complaints, had held the airline guilty of providing deficient service.

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Agencies
January 8,2020

New Delhi, Jan 8: Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Union (JNUSU) President Aishe Ghosh has filed a complaint over the violence that took place at the varsity campus on Sunday.

"I am filing this complaint for the incident in which a mob conspired and acted with common intention to assault, intimidate and attempt to murder me, and request you to register an FIR and apprehend culprits at the earliest," the complaint read.

She said that on January 5, in the afternoon, she received information from students in the campus that some students affiliated to ABVP along with other unidentified men and women had gathered with weapons like rods, sledgehammers and lathis near Ganga Bus Stop.

"I along with Nikhil Mathew (MA Labour Studies) who was also present there, were surrounded by a group of persons of that mob most of whom were wearing masks. The mob of 20-30 persons dragged me behind a car standing near the 24*7 and surrounded me and despite my pleading did not let me go and attacked me with rods while I had fallen down. I remember that one of the people was of medium height wearing a brownish-red sweatshirt with UCLA written on it. I saw his face as he was facing me and did not have a mask on and can identify him if I see him," Ghosh wrote in her complaint.

"I was attacked by the above-mentioned persons collectively and was hit on the head multiple times with iron rods. I fell to the ground and my head started bleeding, and some of them kicked me and hit me with the rod on my hand and rest of the body including my head, chest and back."

"I am attaching with this complaint a copy of the MLC which details my injuries. Nikhil Mathew tried to save me but was also hit with an iron hammer and other weapons on his head and arms. The intention of the group of men and their acts was definitely to murder me and other persons associated with me," she said.

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Agencies
June 7,2020

New Delhi, Jun 7: The Islamic Centre of India on Saturday issued an advisory for those visiting mosques in view of the Centre’s decision to allow reopening of religious places from June 8.

Islamic Centre of India chairman Maulana Khalid Rasheed Farangi Mahali advised people above 65 years and under 10 years of age not to visit mosques and instead offer prayers at home.

He also advised against crowding in mosques, stressing that not more than five people should be present at a time and social distancing be maintained, with the ‘namazis’ using masks and keeping a distance of six feet among themselves while offering prayers.

He added that the situation would be reviewed after 15 days and if required, another advisory would be issued.

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News Network
February 2,2020

New Delhi, Feb 2: The Congress on Sunday released its manifesto for Delhi polls, promising to implement unemployment allowance of Rs 5,000-7,500 per month and cashback schemes for water and power consumers, if voted to power.

Presenting the manifesto, Delhi Congress chief Subhash Chopra said the party will provide free power up to 300 unit per month.

The manifesto also committed to spend 25 per cent budget each year on fighting pollution and improving transport facilities.

An unemployment allowance of Rs 5,000 for graduates and Rs 7,500 for post graduates per month will be provided under the Yuva Swabhiman Yojna, he said.

The Congress will launch flagship cashback schemes for power and water supply to benefit consumers saving these resources. The party, if voted to power, will open 100 Indira Canteens to provide subsidised meals at Rs 15, Chopra said.

The Congress will challenge the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in the Supreme Court and demand the Centre to withdraw the law. The party will also not implement the National Register of Citizens (NRC) and the existing form of the National Population Register (NPR), if voted to power in Delhi.

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