Aviation Min to review all cases of violations

* Ministry wants copies of all vigilance reports to initiate action in cases that are pending

After finding that the Airports Authority of India was sitting on a vigilance report alleging its officials of major irregularities in awarding ground handling projects in Chennai and Kolkata airports,the civil aviation ministry has started a review of all vigilance cases pending with its departments.

The key departments under the ministry are the Directorate General of Civil Aviation,Airports Authority of India (AAI),Pawan Hans Helicopters Limited and Air India Limited.

After the alleged irregularities in the award of ground handling projects by the AAI,we decided to start the review. In this particular instance,we found that the case was pending with the authority for quite some time but it did not initiate any action against its officials, said a senior civil aviation ministry official.

The official said that the ministry will review all the cases and will initiate suitable action against the ones involved,as it is believed that there would be many cases where action would not have been initiated.

After the case,civil aviation minister Ajit Singh had also asked the departments to submit a copy of the all the vigilance case reports to the ministry, the official added.

Normally,a report of the vigilance case is sent to the respective department and its chief vigilance officer.

However,in case of an enquiry by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI),the report comes to the ministry.

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The civil aviation minister,last month,ordered the suspension of six AAI employees allegedly involved in committing irregularities and favouring a particular company in awarding ground handling services contracts at Chennai and Kolkata airports.

He had also ordered filing of FIR against the head of Bhadra International India Ltd the firm which won the contracts.

The CBI report had alleged that Airports Authority of India officers made certain deviations from the commercial manual in the Notice Inviting Tender while awarding contract for ground handling services at seven airports across the country.

Cracking the whip

* The ministry will review all the cases and will initiate action against the ones involved

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* Normally,a vigilance report is sent to the respective department and its chief vigilance officer. This time Ajit Singh has asked for a copy of all reports

* The minister,last month,ordered suspension of six AAI employees for favouring a company in awarding ground handling services at Chennai and Kolkata airports