Tags:
Journalism of Courage
MACT orders record relief
For the first time ever, the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal MACT, Mumbai, has held that revisions in salary should be considered while computing compensation payable to accident victims. Chairperson of the tribunal M J Borge, in an order dated August 20, 1998, has directed New India Assurance Company to pay Rs 20.3 lakh as compensation to the widow of Udaykumar Shripatrao Wagh, who died in an accident on the Pune-Solapur highway on April 4, 1987. Wagh was a senior manager in-charge of Pune zone with the Saraswat Co-operative Bank and the car was in the name of his wife Anagha.The tribunal held that the accident occurred due to negligence since the car was on the wrong side of the road. The tribunal also ruled that compensation should be calculated on the basis of the salary Wagh would have currently been entitled to had he been alive.
MACT awards Rs 1.86 lakh to NRI family
In a significant ruling, C M Patil of the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal MACT, Thane,has awarded a compensation of Rs 1,86,000 to a Non-Resident Indian NRI family, as against Rs 29,52,000 claimed by it, for the death of one of their family members in a road mishap in 1988. Though the quantum of compensation awarded is low when compared to what was claimed, the presiding officer of the MACT has discussed at length the issue of dependency as defined under the Motor Vehicles Act, while scaling down the quantum of compensation. The claim pertains to a road mishap in which Vishakaben Dave 50 was killed along with her brother-in-law, Anantbhai Patel, when they were on their way from Shirdi to Mumbai on June 19, 1988. The presiding officer ordered the MSRTC and the Oriental Insurance Company, in which the owner of the car had an insurance, to equally share the compensation.
Talent contest in classical music
The Vedic Heritage Inc USA has announced a competition in classical music. An annual affair, the competition will be held this year on December 21. Participants will compete inthree categories viz, vocal music, instrumental music and dance. The contest open to any artist irrespective of nationality will be held in Hindustani and Carnatic traditions and winners from each category will be flown to New York for the finals.
The panel. Entry forms will be available at Vedic Heritage Inc, C/O Pandit Jasraj, 62/B, Trishul, Raheja Complex, Versova, J P Road, Andheri West, Mumbai. The last date for submit of entries is November 20, 1998.
