AIX Connect removes manager from duty; senior airline officials apologise to K'taka Governor
Bengaluru airport incident
New Delhi, Jul 31: Budget airline AIX Connect has removed its manager from duty at Bengaluru airport following the incident of a flight taking off without Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot last week, a source said on Monday.
Besides, senior officials of the airline on Monday met the Governor in Bengaluru. They apprised him about the situation and the steps taken and also apologised for the incident, the source said on the condition of anonymity.
On July 27, an AIX Connect from Bengaluru to Hyderabad took off without the Governor over an alleged delay in reporting and later, his office lodged a complaint at the Bengaluru airport police station.
AIX Connect, formerly known as AirAsia India, is part of the Air India Group.
The source on Monday said the airline's airport manager concerned at the time of the incident was immediately removed from duty and an investigation is going on.
On July 28, the airline expressed regret over the incident and said that an investigation was being conducted.
Following the incident, the Governor's Protocol Officer M Venugopal had lodged the complaint over a "breach of protocol".
As per the complaint, Gehlot was supposed to fly to Hyderabad on the AIX Connect flight at 2.05 pm on July 27.
"Accordingly, the Governor left Raj Bhavan at 1.10 pm and reached the VIP Lounge of Terminal-1 at 1.35 pm. By that time, the luggage belonging to the Governor was loaded onto the plane," it said.
The Governor reached the ladder of the plane at 2.06 pm.
"However, AirAsia (AIX Connect) employee Arif denied entry to the Governor saying that there was a delay in arrival, though the door of the plane was still open," the complaint alleged.
"Besides this, the Governor's luggage was unloaded in which 10 minutes were lost. The Governor was still standing near the ladder and the door of the plane was still open. Yet, the Governor was ignored and insulted by not allowing him inside the flight," Venugopal had said.
Gehlot returned to the VIP Lounge and took another flight after 90 minutes to reach Hyderabad.
"This incident has deeply hurt the Governor, who is the first citizen of Karnataka. By obstructing him from discharging his official duty, his protocol has been breached. We request you to initiate legal action against (AIX Connect Station Manager) Zico Soares, Arif and AirAsia (AIX Connect)," as per the complaint.
Regretting the incident, AIX Connect, on July 28, also said, "An investigation is being conducted and appropriate action will be taken".
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Another North Goa nightclub sealed; Kejriwal says corruption led to fire tragedy
Panaji (PTI): As part of a crackdown against tourist establishments violating laws and safety norms in the aftermath of the Arpora fire tragedy, Goa authorities on Saturday sealed a renowned club at Vagator and revoked the fire department NOC of another club.
Cafe CO2 Goa, located on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator beach in North Goa, was sealed. The move came two days after Goya Club, also in Vagator, was shut down for alleged violations of rules.
Elsewhere, campaigning for local body polls, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora, which claimed 25 lives on December 6, happened because the BJP government in the state was corrupt.
An inspection of Cafe CO2 Goa by a state government-appointed team revealed that the establishment, with a seating capacity of 250, did not possess a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the Fire and Emergency Services Department. The club, which sits atop Ozrant Cliff, also did not have structural stability, the team found.
The Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday also revoked the NOC issued to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna as the fire extinguishers installed in the establishment were found to be inadequate, said divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas.
A notice was issued to Nitin Wadhwa, the partner of the club, he said in the order.
Campaigning at Chimbel village near Panaji in support of his party's Zilla Panchayat election candidate, Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal said the nightclub fire at Arpora happened because of the "corruption of the Pramod Sawant-led state government."
"Why this fire incident happened? I read in the newspapers that the nightclub had no occupancy certificate, no building licence, no excise licence, no construction licence or trade licence. The entire club was illegal but still it was going on," he said.
"How could it go on? Couldn't Pramod Sawant or anyone else see it? I was told that hafta (bribe) was being paid," the former Delhi chief minister said.
A person can not work without bribing officials in the coastal state, Kejriwal said, alleging that officers, MLAs and even ministers are accepting bribes.
