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Dispute over compensation for ground victims

Our Correspondent in Patna

A controversy is growing over the payment of compensation to the non-passengers who died in the Alliance Air crash.

While officials of the Union civil aviation ministry announced after the crash that non-passengers would also be paid, a spokesman for the department, S Ram Krishnan, told reporters on Tuesday that there was no provision for compensation to victims on the ground. He said the department would consider their case on humanitarian grounds. "But we are yet to get any directive in this regard."

The civil aviation ministry announced the payment of Rs 700,000 to all adults killed in the crash. The next of kin of those who were less than 18 years old will get Rs 350,000. The injured will be given Rs 200,000 each.

Magistrate Khare said the administration would approach the ministry to provide compensation to the victims on the ground.

The district administration also announced the payment of Rs 5,000 each to the two women sweepers of the Patna Municipal Corporation killed in the crash. The amount has been paid for performing their last rites.

According to sources, the civil aviation ministry may soon announce the payment of compensation to the ground victims. Bharatiya Janata Party legislators raised the issue in the state assembly on Tuesday. Speaker Sadanand Singh asked the state government to take up the matter with the Centre.

See full coverage of the Alliance Air crash

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