The wives of Air India (AI) pilots who lost their lives due to COVID-19 in the line of duty have formed a joint forum- Widows Forum for Justice- to seek adequate compensation and alternative employment for themselves.
The forum has written to Air India management expressing anguish that they are eligible for Rs 10 lakh as ad-hoc COVID death compensation, an amount which in normal circumstances would have been less than two months of their average net earnings.
"We write to you as a joint forum of the widows of those Air India Pilots' who have tragically succumbed to the COVID-19 virus while discharging their national duty and obligation in the recent past...On inquiry about the death compensation payable to these brave heart pilots, we are indeed aghast to learn that these pilots are only eligible for a paltry amount of Rs 10 lakh as COVID-19 ad-hoc death compensation," the letter said.
"...We demand grant of PMU compensation to all pilots who have succumbed to the COVID-19 disease as per Air India circular of July 2016 (without prejudice to our right to demand higher and appropriate compensation for death whilst undertaking the Vande Matram Mission/ Air Bubble flights)...," it added.
They also demanded an offer of suitable alternative employment to the immediate family member of all the deceased.
Five Air India pilots- Captain Amitesh Prasad, Captain Sandeep Rana, Captain Gurpratap S Gill, Captain Prasad M Karmakar, and Captain Harsh Tiwary- died due to COVID-19 between May 9 and May 30.
( With inputs from ANI )
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