Russia offers new nuke fuel assembly for Kudankulam nuke plants

C Shivakumar 

Chennai:

The nuclear plants in Kudankulam could soon be operating on a new fuel assembly which could boost the efficiency if the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board gives its clearance, according to Russian fuel company based in Moscow.
Oleg Grigoriev, vice-president of JSC TVEL, a subsidiary of Russian State Energy Nuclear Corporation (ROSATOM) said in an e-mail interview that Russia is willing to offer modern design of nuclear fuel for the Kudankulam atomic plants.
“We are ready to change the Kudankulam nuclear power plant’s fuel as per the requirements of Indian regulator Atomic Energy regulatory Board for substantiation of reliability and security of fuel assemblies,” said Grigoriev.
Russia now supplies almost a fifth of the world’s nuclear fuel. TVEL’s fuel development programmes for Russian-designed VVER light water reactors in Russia and abroad aim to increase the service life, burn-up and cost effectiveness of its fuel assemblies.
Russia feels the only restriction of supplying the advanced nuclear fuel assemblies is the agreement over supply of UTVS fuel, which is currently being supplied to Kudankulam nuclear plant. “The agreement for supply of UTVS fuel is for a period of three to four years by both the parties. Once this agreement phase gets over then the nuclear power plant will be run on TVS-2M, a more modern design of nuclear fuel,” said Grigoriev
If India works out a formula then then the transfer to new nuclear fuel will take place faster, says Grigoriev. “The new nuclear fuel will save 60-70 operational days in around three years,” he said, adding that the plant would not face any difficulties once the new fuel assembly gets clearance.
To a query on localisation of nuclear fuel assemblies in India, Grigoriev said that India is planning to increase the number of Russian reactors to 12. “We are ready to help India in the localisation of the production of nuclear fuel. But it should be understood that the plant should be cost-effective. We have repeatedly carried out economic calculations and estimated the number of blocks into which the plant is to supply fuel to make it profitable. The result together with regional and country specificity ranged from 10 to 12 units,” he said.
He also hoped that in the next 10 years, the first components produced in India will be used in the fuel for Indian nuclear power plants.

 

Factfile;
1. Pressurised water reactors (PWRs) are the most common type of nuclear reactor accounting for two-thirds of current installed nuclear generating capacity worldwide.
2. Most of PWRs use the uranium fuel, which is in the form of uranium dioxide.
3. Uranium dioxide (UO2) is a black semiconducting solid with very low thermal conductivity.
4. The UO2 is pressed into pellets, these pellets are then sintered into the solid.
5. These pellets are then loaded and encapsulated within a fuel rod (or fuel pin), which is made of zirkonium alloys due to its very low absorbtion
6. The collection of fuel rods or elements is called the fuel assembly.
7. The fuel assembly constitute the base element of the nuclear reactor core.
8. The reactor core (PWR type) contains about 157 fuel assemblies (depending on a reactor type)

writingonblog uncensored: Confusion prevails over whether Aadhaar is mandato...

writingonblog uncensored: Confusion prevails over whether Aadhaar is mandato...:  Chennai: Confusion is prevailing over whether the Aadhaar Card is mandatory to avail Liquefied and Petroleum Gas subsidies or not? On one ...

Confusion prevails over whether Aadhaar is mandatory to get LPG subsidy

 Chennai:

Confusion is prevailing over whether the Aadhaar Card is mandatory to avail Liquefied and Petroleum Gas subsidies or not?



On one side, there is a directive from the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, that LPG consumers should provide Aadhaar details before September 30 for subsidy to be credited, on the other hand Union Information and Broadcasting Minister M Venkaiah naidu announced in Parliament that Aadhaar card is not mandatory for getting Central benefits and they are following the Supreme court ruling.



Interestingly, nearly 87.64 per cent of population in the state has been screened for Aadhaar card. However, in Chennai, it is only 79 per cent, as per Census data. This means 6.32 crore people in the state have Aadhaar cards while 36.65 lakh people in Chennai have access to Aadhaar cards. However, many who have been screened for Aadhaar cards say they have not got it yet.



V Sridharan, who stays in Panruti Kandigai, says that he was getting Indane cooking gas from an agency at Sriperumbudur. “Normally I get subsidy within a few days.but this month I have not received subsidy though gas was delivered on July 14. On enquiry, they told me that if Aadhar card is not registered, the subsidy will be pending. I have enrolled for Aadhar but have not received it.

Is it the policy of authorities to stop subsidy in the absence of Aadhar card?



“This is unfair to many who have not received it. Until all have got the cards, such decision should not be taken,” he says.



But officials in Census department say the issue is that people in a city like Chennai migrate continuously. They live in rented apartments as such many don’t get. Besides there is also a issue over it being delivered through ordinary post.



But consumers like Swetha argue that it is government’s responsibility to ensure everyone gets his Aadhaar card as it is a social welfare scheme. If poor are left out, then what is the use of providing subsidies. The census department has the address of the person who was screened for Aadhaar. The goernment has to ensure he has his Aadhaar card,” she argues.



Officials say due to linking of Aadhaar card with Direct Benefit Transfer, the misuse of people having more than two to three gas connections has reduced. Meanwhile, the census department has also covered 6.88 crore people for biometrics which is essential for smart cards to be prepared by state government by linking it with Aadhaar cards.



“On one hand, the government says it is not mandatory but on the other hand, it is slyly forcing people to go in for Aadhar cards to enjoy welfare schemes,” says Subbu, whose friend has been forced to apply for Aadhaar card to avail LPG subsidies.



Earlier, LPG Subsidy was provided by directly linking bank account numbers to gas agencies. Now there is a need for such customers to submit their Aadhar card photocopy to the bank as well as the gas agency. The consumers are currently getting 12 cylinders at a subsidized rate in a year.

 

writingonblog uncensored: Village land records a click away

writingonblog uncensored: Village land records a click away: C Shivakumar Chennai: Now the village land records will just be a click away as Directorate of Town and Country Planning is making arrang...

Village land records a click away

C Shivakumar
Chennai:
Now the village land records will just be a click away as Directorate of Town and Country Planning is making arrangements to view it online.

In a bid to simplify planning process, the Commissioner of Town and Country Planning has asked its officials to obtain the soft copy of village accounts from district collectors and district information officers from National Informatics Centre.

The officials have also been asked to get log in and password from the National Informatics Centre.

It is learnt that once the data is online, it will simplify the planning process. Usually, a developer has to approach tahsildar specifying that the lands involved in the projects or layouts or change of land use proposal are not poromboke lands besides they are not involved in land acquisition and not covered under the Land ceiling Act of 1978.

They also have to get NOC that the land is not covered under Land Reforms Act of 1961 and it is not affected by floods.

Now DTCP is doing away with the tedious process. The land records will be viewed by DTCP officials online who will certify whether it is poromboke or a waterbody.

Meanwhile, DTCP is making the developer liable if the land comes under the Land Ceiling Act 1978 or Land Reform Act 1961.

Instructions have been passed that the applicant should state in a Rs 20 stamp paper that he is liable if the land falls under the Land ceiling Act or Land reforms act

writingonblog uncensored: Strategy planned to use Sagarnidhi technology to h...

writingonblog uncensored: Strategy planned to use Sagarnidhi technology to h...: C Shivakumar Chennai: As the search and rescue operations on the surface of the sea to locate the debris of missing Indian Air Force (I...

Strategy planned to use Sagarnidhi technology to hunt for missing aircraft

C Shivakumar
Chennai:
As the search and rescue operations on the surface of the sea to locate the debris of missing Indian Air Force (IAF) transport Aircraft AN 32 carrying 29 passengers failed to yield results, the focus on the fifth day was how to carry out the search to the depth of 3,500 metres to locate the aircraft.

Marred by rough seas and no exact location of where the aircraft went down, the search is being conducted by extrapolation to the time of the crash and the only hope is to catch the signals emanating from the flight decoder recorder which is feared to be under the sea at a depth of 3,500 metres. And sources are hoping this could be achieved by National Institute of Technology research vessel ‘Sagarnidhi’ as it has the most advanced sonar, multi-beam echo sounder.

While the sonar of Indian submarine can’t come handy at such a depth, it is learnt that research vessel Sagarnidhi’s multi beam echo sounder can travel upto 6,000 metres depth. Like other sonar systems, multibeam systems emit sound waves in a fan shape beneath a ship's hull. The amount of time it takes for the sound waves to bounce off the seabed and return to a receiver is used to determine water depth.

Besides that, the ship also has sub-bottom profiler that scans the seabed for anything protruding above it. Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Sciences (INCOIS) director Satheesh C Shenoi, who holds the additional charge of NIOT director, said that it is the only option left with the team conducting search and rescue operation.

Shenoi said that the technology was used during the hunt for Coast Guard’s missing Dornier but then the given area had no Dornier in it. “It was found in the area where the Reliance vessel was conducting the searches,” Shenoi clarified.

The issue with the search operation is that the depth of the sea where the aircraft went missing has not been mapped unlike being done in Economic Exclusive Zone. Interestingly, across the world less than five per cent of oceans have been mapped. Shenoi says that mapping of the oceans is a costly exercise and it could be done unless there is a purpose.

Shenoi says that it won’t be a easy task for Sagarnidhi and the resolution which it will get while conducting the search operation won’t be that clear.

However, Shenoi feels that AN-32 has an advantage over MH-370, the Malaysian aircraft, which went missing on March 8, 2014. they don’t know the time when it went down and the search area was 800 to 900 square nautical miles. “In this case we know at what time the aircraft went down, as such we have the location,” he says. But with the search being conducted on extrapolation to time the aircraft went down and the rough seas which took away the radar image, the search and rescue operation could only hope for a a success.

Why Sagarnidhi?
1.It is the only research vessel in India which has a specialised sonar called multi-echo sounder and sub-bottom profiler
2.This can go upto the depth of 5,500 metres and profile the ocean bed for the missing aircraft.
3.The Indian Navy has a vessel which can profile a depth till 1,000 metre.
4.Since the sonar beacon is not working the only hope is to get signals from the flight decoder
5.The underwater search when compared to the missing Malaysian aircraft MH370 hunt has an advantage as there is a given time and the area has been demarcated

Challenges for search and rescue ops:
1.The ELT of the aircraft is not functioning
2.The sea is rough as such waves took away the radar images
3.The search is being done by extrapolating the data to the time when aircraft went down

writingonblog uncensored: Gross NPAs in public sector banks double in one y...

writingonblog uncensored: Gross NPAs in public sector banks double in one y...: Chennai:  The gross non performing  assets in public sector banks in India have nearly doubled in last  financial year as All India  Bank ...

Gross NPAs in public sector banks double in one year to 5.39 lakh crore

Chennai: 

The gross non performing assets in public sector banks in India have nearly doubled in last financial year as All India Bank Employees Association has gone public with the names of the defaulters.

As per figures released by AIBEA, the non-performing assets in public sector banks has risen from Rs 2.78 lakh in the financial year 2014-15 to Rs 5.39 lakh crore in the financial year 2015-16.

C H Venkatachalam, general secretary of AIBEA, told Express that the names of 5,600 wilful defaulters has been published by AIBEA as the government and Reserve bank of India is allegedly not taking tough measures to recover bad loans.

“People should know who are loan defaulters as the loan is given from public money. When poor borrowers are harassed, corporate defaulters are given all concessions. The number of wilful defaulters is also on the increase,” alleged Venkatachalam.

He said there are 3,192 accounts of wilful defaulters in nationalised banks (excluding SBI and associate banks) and they have defaulted on loans worth Rs 28,775 crore.

Similarly, there are 1,546 accounts in SBI and associate banks that have defaulted on loans worth Rs 18,576 crore. Similarly, there are 792 bank accounts in private banks that have defaulted on loans worth Rs 10,250 crore

Some of the Chennai based defaulters include Velachery based Agnite Education Ltd, formerly known as Teledata Informatics Limited which provides online education services from high school through to professional education. It defaulted on loans worth Rs 316 crore.

Tiruppur based Everwin Textile company defaulted on loans worth Rs 50 crore from State bank of Mysore and Punjab national Bank respectively.

Chennai-based Fidelty Industries Limited defaulted on loans worth Rs 46.76 from Standard Chartered bank and 7.35 crore from Axis Bank. Chennai Hi-Tech Home Appliances defaulted on loans worth Rs 6.78 crore from Karur Vysya Bank, Chennai based P S Krishnamurthy Steels defaulted on loans worth Rs 124 crore.

Factfile:             NPAs in Public sector banks

2010                 Rs 59,927 crores

2011                 Rs 74,664

2012                 Rs 1,17,000

2013                 Rs 1,64,461

2014                 Rs 2,16,739

2015                 Rs 2,78,877

2016                 Rs 5,39,995 cr

Wilful defaulters (accounts and amount)

Defaulters:       No of accts     Defaulted loans

Natl Banks       3192          Rs 28,775 crore

SBI banks       1546          Rs 18,576 cr

Pvt banks       792           Rs 10,250cr

Fin institutions   42             Rs 728 cr

Foreign banks   38             Rs 463 cr

Total          5,610           Rs 58,792 crore

Source AIBEA

writingonblog uncensored: Indian Navy to have floating dock by next year

writingonblog uncensored: Indian Navy to have floating dock by next year: Chennai: Indian Navy will have a  floating dock at Andaman and  Nicobar Island by next year  so that it can dock naval  ships and submarin...

Indian Navy to have floating dock by next year

^Chennai:

^{Indian Navy will have a floating dock at Andaman and Nicobar Island by next year so that it can dock naval ships and submarines up to 8,000 tonnes displacement, according to a top official of L&T Shipbuilding.}

^{Chief Executive and managing director of Larsen and Toubro, vice-admiral (retd) B Kannan told Express that the Rs 468 crore floating dock will significantly augment support infrastructure of the Navy for docking of warships and submarines for repair and refit as the Island does not have dry dock.}

^{Kannan, who was speaking on the sidelines of of Indo-US partnership conclave organised by Indo-American Chamber of Commerce, here on Tuesday, said that the Katpuli shipyard already has orders worth Rs 2,000 crore. He said that the shipyard will also be supplying interceptor boats to coastguard. “We have already supplied 20 interceptor boats and the remaining 30 will be supplied to coastguard soon,” he said}

^{He also said that the shipyard is building offshore patrol vessels (OPVs) for coastguard besides designing an elevator for a naval ship which could lift the helicopter from the hangar and bring it to dock. However, he denied the technology is for indigenously built aircraft carrier.}

^{Earlier, the state government wooed investors to invest in Chennai Aerospace Park, which will be spread across an area of 260 acres (expandable to 700 acres in Phase II) at Sriperumbudur near Chennai. The State Industries Promotion Corporation of Tamil Nadu (SIPCOT) has already acquired the required land for the project. “The park will have common facilities like an Advanced Computing & Engineering Design Centre, Common Testing & Technology Centre, Avionics Complex, Composites Development Centre and Warehousing Complex.”}

^{“Till now we have offered land to 14 companies,” said Industries secretary C V Sankar. Industries minister M C Sampath highlighted the achievement of industries in the state. A research paper was also released by Madras Consultancy Group during the occasion.} 

^{The report stated that the state continues to remain one of the prime contributors to India’s trade and accounted for 8.6pc of ountry’s export in 2013-14 with the value of export from the state estimated at $26.9 billion. The report states that Tamil nadu aims to garner 30pc of Indian aerospace business by 2020 and several projects are being undertaken to achieve the target.}

writingonblog uncensored: Saudi Arabia, a Guantnamo Bay for Indian workers

writingonblog uncensored: Saudi Arabia, a Guantnamo Bay for Indian workers: C Shivakumar Chennai: Working in Saudi Arabia is like serving a term in Guantanamo Bay for these eight Muslim Indian workers, including t...

Saudi Arabia, a Guantnamo Bay for Indian workers

C Shivakumar
Chennai:
Working in Saudi Arabia is like serving a term in Guantanamo Bay for these eight Muslim Indian workers, including three women, who were abused, denied wages and food, kept in detention and were deported empty-handed.
The workers were from Vellore, Belgaum, Malegaon, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Rajasthan and Uttrar Pradesh and each have a tale of the ordeal they underwent in a country, where they went to chase their dreams and hoped to bring in happiness through the wealth they believed would have earned.
Nasreen, who is in her forties, went to Saudi Arabia to pay off her Rs 2 lakh debt, which she incurred after losing her husband, and to buy happiness for her family which was living a hand to mouth existence in Vellore. After the agent made her take up the offer, little did she know that she would be forced to cook for 36 member family and also cook for a hotel and do household chores. The reward she got was unpaid wages, abused by her owner and forced to work 18 to 19 hours a day.
After six months, she could take no more of it and fled the home and reached embassy in Jeddah with her mobile phone. The embassy then handed her to Saudi authorities for deportation. “I was kept in detention for 40 days before being sent to Chennai. The food in the jail was of poor quality and we were treated as ssecond grade citizens when compared to Pakistanis, Filipinos and Bangladeshis,” recalls Nasreen.
Similar was the plight of Reshma, a resident of Belgaum who lost her husband and was forced to take up a job in Saudi. Reshma was 27-year-old but the agent got a passport showing her age as 31 as government has banned women below 30 working as housemaid. “I went there on a tourist visa. I was abused by the owner in Al Zouk,a place in Saudi, who treated me like an animal. I was beaten and abused and then transferred to another owner where the plight was same. I felt like a bird in the cage,” recalls Reshma. “I fled the house, which was in a remote location and approached the Indian embassy, who kept me in detention and then sent me to Saudi detention centre. I was kept there for more than a month before being sent to Chennai,” says Reshma, a ninth standard dropout and knows Hindi only.

Valarmathi of National Domestic Workers Movement, Migrant Forum India, told Express that agents are now targetting the vulnerable women and trafficking them to Middle east countries. All the women who had been deported from Saudi are those Muslim women who lost their husband and have to feed their family.

Besides agent, the workers are criticising the Indian embassy for failing to do their duty in protecting the interest of Indian nationals. “There are 700 workers who are still in detention as they have fled their owners after being forced to work in inhuman conditions,” says Azneel, who took up a job as welder
Usually, when the worker flees the from the workplace, the owner strikes off his name and he or she is termed illegal. They go to embassy who check their antecedents and then send them to Saudi detention centre. There once they are proven that they are illegal, then embassy prepares emergency passport and the worker is deported..
But then the same criteria is not applicable to other countries. “We are given step-motherly treatment as our embassy never complains. Other nationals leave Saudi within three to four days but we have to stay in prison and denied quality food,” says Moin from Allahabad. Interestingly, the workers have urged Narendra Modi government to act against embassy officials for failing to protect the rights of its nationals.
Many people are still in the jail for more than two to three years as they have not been termed illegal. The embassy should help them, says Mohammed Ilayas Pasha. To a query on whether they want to go back to a foreign country to earn their livelihoods, the men and women say ‘No. In our country, we can live in peace. Saudi is an alien country,” they say

writingonblog uncensored: All high-rise hospital buildings to have ramps now...

writingonblog uncensored: All high-rise hospital buildings to have ramps now...: Chennai: All high-rise hospital  buildings will now have ramps  for easy evacuation of  patients in case of fire  accident after Chenn...

All high-rise hospital buildings to have ramps now

Chennai:

All high-rise hospital buildings will now have ramps for easy evacuation of patients in case of fire accident after Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority framed draft regulations under special provisions for hospital buildings.

This comes after Public Interest Litigation (PIL) was moved by social activist Jawaharlal Shanmugham in Madras High court which directed to work out a comprehensive viable proposal.

This could prove to a big relief to differently-abled as well as ensure safety of patients during fire emergency or when the lifts fail to function.

Shanmugham, who was former chief hospital administrator of Ramachandra Hospital, says that most of the hospital buildings in the city fail to give importance to the safety of people or the patients.

Thanking Chief Justice of Madras High Court S K Kaul for issuing directions to ensure that hospitals have ramps, Shanmugham said that the final policy of the government is more or less verbatim of the recommendations put forth by health secretary J Radhakrishnan and lauded the efforts of government in giving a serious perspective to a very sensitive issue.

Interestingly, CMDA has made variation to the approved Second Master plan and has sent the draft for government approval. CMDA in the modified regulations have highlighted that the setback space around building should have have access for fire fighting vehicles to operate.

Citing setback specifications on account of the height of the building, CMDA draft regulation has stated there should be no obstruction such as fountains, statues, flower pots or ramps in the setback area to facilitate the movement of vehicle or patients during emergency.

It has also specified the width and slope of ramp which shall be provided in all hospital buildings. CMDA has also stressed on the availability of fire lifts which are operated on battery during emergency

The move was also hailed by Smitha Sadasivam working for non governmental organisation Vidyasagar. Smitha said that ramps are necessary for a hospital set-up. She recollects a study done in 2014 which highlighted that most of the hospitals don’t have ramps and persons with disabilities can’t access the toilet, wards as they don’t have diagnostic equipment.

Monitoring Committee member M G Deivasahayam also hailed the move by CMDA to make it mandatory for hospitals to have ramps. :it is a welcome measure for the safety of patients,” he said.

Key points on proposed regulations for special provisions for hospital buildings:

1. Ramps of minimum width 2.4m and maximum slope of 1:12 to be provided in all hospital buildings with ground floor plus stilt plus first floor and above

2. Setback space around building to have access for fire-fighting vehicles to operate as laid down in development regulations

3. For building less than 17 metre of height with stilt plus four floors, a six metre setback space is necessary

4. For building between 17 and 30 metres, setback space of 7 meters is must

5. Minimum two large louvered windows (with adequate safety provision) shall be provided in each floor.

6. Fire lifts with alternate power supply

7. Fire-fighting training for selected employees

8. Regular mock drill in every six months

9. All government or private hospitals to display declaration enlisting fire safety measures

Chennai Metro conducts test run in 5km underground stretch between Koyambedu-Shenoy Nagar

Chennai:

Chennai Metro launched its first test run below the ground in the 5km stretch between Koyambedu and Shenoy Nagar on Saturday thus making Chennaites dream of traveling in the underground stretch a step nearer.

A Chennai Metro Rail sources told Express that Chennai Metro started the test run using a metro train in the 5km stretch for the first time after the entire stretch was energised.

“We did use the train once but it was pulled by a wagon car. Now the test run is being done after energising the stretch,” the source said, adding that they were happy with the results.

“The main idea was to check the dimensions of the tunnel. We still have to complete signalling work as well as cables,” said the Metro Rail source. It is also learnt that the platform screen doors at the underground stations also underwent checks.

Metro Rail sources said that the trial run is likely to take place soon once the signalling work is completed but refused to give exact time.,

The track laying works from Shenoy Nagar to Nehru Park is on the verge of completion. “Only 400 metres to 500 metres of track work is left,” said the source. This could mean that immediately after the elevated stretch is opened for commercial run, there are chances that the 5km underground stretch could also be opened for commercial run.

Meanwhile, work on the elevated stretch from St Thomas Mount to Chennai Airport is happening at a rapid pace. It is likely that the Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety would undertake inspection next month and this could soon pave the way for commercial operations. Already Railway Designs and Standard Organisation has given the speed certificate to Metro Rail.

It is also learnt that 90 per cent work on the stations in the stretch between Little Mount to Airport is complete

writingonblog uncensored: Chennai Airport vulnerable to terror attack

writingonblog uncensored: Chennai Airport vulnerable to terror attack: C Shivakumar Chennai: Imagine a car laden with  explosives enters Chennai  Airport . The driver manages  to reach the elevated stret...

writingonblog uncensored: Chennai Airport vulnerable to terror attack

writingonblog uncensored: Chennai Airport vulnerable to terror attack: C Shivakumar Chennai: Imagine a car laden with  explosives enters Chennai  Airport . The driver manages  to reach the elevated stret...

writingonblog uncensored: Chennai Airport vulnerable to terror attack

writingonblog uncensored: Chennai Airport vulnerable to terror attack: C Shivakumar Chennai: Imagine a car laden with  explosives enters Chennai  Airport . The driver manages  to reach the elevated stret...

writingonblog uncensored: Chennai Airport vulnerable to terror attack

writingonblog uncensored: Chennai Airport vulnerable to terror attack: C Shivakumar Chennai: Imagine a car laden with  explosives enters Chennai  Airport . The driver manages  to reach the elevated stret...

Chennai Airport vulnerable to terror attack

C Shivakumar

Chennai:

Imagine a car laden with explosives enters Chennai Airport. The driver manages to reach the elevated stretch near the airport terminal building unchecked where passengers are arriving to board their flight.

He leaves his car near the terminal, takes the elevator, walks out of airport vicinity and then detonates the car. The damage is huge including loss of lives.. 

Similarly, in another scenario, a suicide bomber walks in with a e-ticket and a fake identity card. He is let inside the terminal and before he reaches the baggage area to get his boarding pass, he detonates himself. 

Security in Chennai Airport may be multi-layered but both the scenarios are not ruled out as policy-makers have failed to comprehend the threats and the focus has been just to beef up the security by adding more gun-toting Central Industrial Security Force, having a dog squad or quick response team and a clamp on entry of visitors to airport terminals.

“Our security is out of sync with real time threats. The only airport which is secure and safe is that of Srinagar. The passenger and vehicles have to undergo checks within the 1km radius of the airport ,” says a former security official on condition of anonymity. 

All the checks should have been completed before the person or vehicle enters the airport. But in Indian airports due to revenue model and commercial concerns, security is relegated to a secondary place..

Surprisingly, in Chennai Airport, vehicles go unchecked when it is being parked on the kerb-side or enter elevated stretch to let out passengers.  

It is easy for anyone to enter the vicinity of the airport undetected. While in Delhi, there are numerous speed-breakers with high resolution cameras in the 500 metre vicinity of the airport which slows down the vehicle and scans the number plate, the driver, the passengers as well as the car from outside. Experts feel that Chennai lacks this mechanism. “The terrorist can enter the parking lot undetected and blow the airport or similar to the terror attack in Turkey resulting in huge loss of life and property,” says a security expert.

Airport director Deepak Shastri agrees that there is a need to have an additional layer of security on the kerb-side as it is the softest area of airport

“Since the terminal is barricaded, the kerb-side is a soft target since it has nearly 2,500 people at any given time,” he says. While airport authority might be taking up steps in this regard, aviation expert Captain Mohan Ranganathan opposes kerbside security stating that it will delay flights. However, he says there are too many loopholes in the security through which terrorists can sneak inside airport.

In early 90s, only five categories of officials were exempted from security checks but now 50 categories are exempted. And security personnel have been instructed not to check the bags of politicians, alleges Ranganathan. 

He suggests Singapore and Israeli model of surveillance where the security is not visible. “The security there is psychological and they monitor everything. For that you require qualified people,” he says.

Frequent fliers Priya Paul and Arul Santosh say that the airport authorities have to think like a terrorist on how the security can be breached rather than trying to upgrade the existing security. Both agree that security is tight inside the terminal but they have second thoughts on the security outside the airport.

Interestingly, the area is out of limits for CISF as it comes under the jurisdiction of state police. In Delhi and Mumbai, we are allowed to have nakas outside the airport but not here, say sources.

Meanwhile, efforts are also being taken up so that airlines have to issue tickets at their commercial office outside the airport. These tickets could be checked using the Radio Frequency Card Reader at the entry and exit of airport

Currently, any passenger with a SMS can walk into airport and his identity is ascertained only during the baggage check. This is a major loophole in the security. It is learnt that government is currently reviewing the model

writingonblog uncensored: IT raids on former Union minister Jagatrakshakan's...

writingonblog uncensored: IT raids on former Union minister Jagatrakshakan's...: Chennai: Income Tax sleuths on  Wednesday  seized Rs 15 crore  worth of cash and several  incriminating documents while  carrying ...

IT raids on former Union minister Jagatrakshakan's premises

Chennai:

Income Tax sleuths on Wednesday seized Rs 15 crore worth of cash and several incriminating documents while carrying out raids on the premises, distilleries and residence of S Jagathrakshakan, a former Union Minister and close aide of DMK chief M Karunanidhi.

Jagatrakshakan, who owns deemed university and is into liquor trade, is perceived to be close to DMK chief Karunanidhi despite not being a senior leader in the party.

Income Tax sources said that till now the tax evasion by the former minister has crossed over Rs 200 crore. “The raids are still ongoing and it is likely we could stumble upon more evidences,” said sources.

The raids were conducted on 40 premises in Chennai and Puducherry and it began early at 7am. Nearly 300 I-T sleuths from the department raided distilleries, medical colleges, hotels as well as his residences.

Sources said that the raids were conducted in the educational institutions run by his family including the Bharath University in East Tambaram, Sree Balaji Medical College in Chrompet and Sri Lakshmi Narayana Institute of Medical Sciences in Puducherry.

Searches resulted in seizure of Rs 15 crore of cash which was unaccounted for. It is learnt that Rs 5 core was seized from one of his home alone.

Jagathrakshakan has been in controversy in various issues including Coal scam where he is alleged to have utilized his political clout for illegal coal allocation for his company in 2007.

The search is going on. Income tax sources refused to divulge any further details.

The raid also comes in the wake of biggest ever cash seizure in the history of Tamil Nadu after Income tax sleuths seized Rs 82 crore from institutions linked to Balaji Educational and Charitable Public Trust. Sources said that raids by the Income Tax department is being carried to flush out black money from the country.

writingonblog uncensored: US-India should have direct cooperation to resolv...

writingonblog uncensored: US-India should have direct cooperation to resolv...: Chennai: A US expert has called for  direct cooperation between  United states and India in  the Indian Ocean after Hague  Tribunal ...

US-India should have direct cooperation to resolve South China sea row

Chennai:

A US expert has called for direct cooperation between United states and India in the Indian Ocean after Hague Tribunal rejected Beijing’s claims on South China Sea.

Dr Peter Dutton, director of China Maritime Studies Institute, US Naval War College, Washington DC while participating in a discussion programme from Washington said that US and India only had a parallel cooperation in Indian ocean, now time has come for direct cooperation.

He also said that in the longer run the global community should not appease China. “The international community should be prepared to use sanctions against China in the longer run to defend the integrity of international system,” said Dutton.

He said that the world sees the the finding of International Tribunal rejecting Beijing’s claims on South China Sea as legitimate.

“The ball is in China’s court. If China increases militarisation, it will confront the whole world,” said Dutton..

“China has to confront the legitimacy that it is in the wrong side. They won’t be conciliatory due to domestic concerns as they are caught between international public opinion and domestic opinion,” he said.

Interestingly, United States is not a participant in International Criminal Court. The failure to ratify the convention has put US in company with rogue nations like Iran and North Korea., says Dutton hoping that the new president may support the convention.

Chennai Airport to have biometric access control to contain security breaches

C Shivakumar

Chennai:

In a bid to deal with identity related security breaches, Airport Authority of India is planning to introduce Biometric Access Control System.

and Badging systems in Chennai Airport.

Chennai Airport director Deepak Shastri told Express that that biometrics system will be introduced in the airport by next year.

Interestingly, Biometrics Access Control System will  control employee access throughout the airport, and help keep the public out of areas they do not belong. Currently, the airport is being manned by Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel manually who check the identity cards of personnel before letting them in. 

It is learnt that Bureau of Civil Aviation Security is planning to do away with this manual checks and provide its airport personnel with a secure contactless Card, which will have a biometric template for multi-factor authentication like pupil of the eye or fingerprints for access.

The contactless card shall be fool-proof and impossible to replicate creating a mechanism for monitoring or control of the movements of personnel and vehicles into the airports.

.

The doors and access points will be released only to  authorized personnel after they have been identified  by the system. 

The authentication of the cardholder will be at the backend Access Control system. All successful or unsuccessful attempts will be transferred to the database server over the access control network. 

This comes as threat to airports globally is more from the people inside as seen in several cases, including the bombing of Russian airline’s Metrojet which disintegrated above Sinai last October.

At present personnel are issued simple plastic identity cards called Airport Entry Pass (AEP) for accessing the secured areas in the buildings, based  on a designed colour coding scheme. The personnel can exit or enter the buildings any number times.

How it will work:

--- All entry/exit points will have Controlled Access in the form of Turnstiles, doors, etc.

--- Biometrics Card Readers will be installed at entry or exit points of designated restricted areas.

-- Long range radio frequency readers will be  assigned to allow authorized vehicle where vehicles  can be automatically identified over 10 meters distance to allow access to restricted areas.

-- To make biometric verification secure, the biometric data shall be stored in a secure application  area within the Card. 

-- The entire system will be networked for monitoring.

-- Data transfer is totally secured through encryption  and mutual authentication between the Contactless Card and Readers