500 delegates take part in International forum on Electron microscopy

CHENNAI:

Around 500 delegates from across India and abroad are taking part in a three-day International Conference on Electron Microscopy and Allied Techniques and the 38th meeting of the Electron Microscope Society of India in Mamallapuram that began on Monday.

The conference, which was inauguated by Dr Srikumar Banerjee, Department of Atomic Energy  Homi Bhabha Chair Professor, and former chairman, Atomic Energy Commission, is jointly organised by the Electron Microscope Society of India (EMSI), Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR), Kalpakkam and the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IITM), Chennai.

The event covers a wide range of topics such as advanced microscopy techniques, application of microscopy to novel, functional, engineering and geological materials, microscopic techniques in use in medical applications, nanotechnology and bio materials.

The conference would bring out the latest developments in electron microscopic techniques and is expected to foster national and international collaborations in the field.

Also on display at the conference venue is an exhibition with about 36 stalls from different companies, exhibiting the state of the art electron microscopy equipment

Rough seas fail to deter camaraderie between India, US, Japan Navies

Chennai:

The sea was rough and the weather challenging but it did not deter the spirit of camaraderie between Indian Navy, Japanese Maritime Self Defence Force and US Navy as they carried on with the sea phase of exercises that concluded on Monday.

The might of INS Vikramaditya, India’s aircraft carrier, and US Navy aircraft carrier USS Nimitz was displayed during the exercise. MiG 29K fighter aircraft was launched from Indian aircraft carrier to undertake combat missions against the US Navy F-18 fighter aircraft launched from USS Nimitz for combined crew training.  

In addition to the combat operations, the fighter aircraft from both navies undertook composite formation flying, thereby demonstrating another step in the interoperability aimed through this exercise.

Similarly, an Indian Navy Seaking helicopter undertook transfer of Japanese personnel to INS  Vikramaditya as part of crew exchange programme during the exercise.

It was followed by followed by flying operations undertaken by the helicopters of the US Navy Ships.

In a display of cross deck flying operations which require a high degree of interoperability and knowledge of procedures of participating ships and helicopters, helicopter from USS Shoup landed onboard INS Sahyadri and Japanese vessel JN Sazanami. The helicopter from JN Sazanami undertook flying operations from INS Sahayadri and USS Shoup.

INS Jyoti, a tanker ship undertook Replenishment at Sea with US Navy Ship Shoup and Japanese Navy Ship Sazanami. During this operation, INS Jyoti passed the oil hoses to the US and Japanese Navies to exercise transfer of fuel

writingonblog uncensored: 16 warship of trilateral Navies to flex their mus...

writingonblog uncensored: 16 warship of trilateral Navies to flex their mus...: Chennai: The sea phase of 21st edition of the tri-nation joint naval exercise, M alabar  2017 , which    is being  conducted in the Bay...

16 warship of trilateral Navies to flex their muscles on Bay of Bengal

Chennai:

The sea phase of 21st edition of the tri-nation joint naval exercise, Malabar 2017, which  is being conducted in the Bay of Bengal, with 16 warships, 95 aircraft and two submarines belonging to India, US and Japan began on Thursday.

The exercise has been split into two which includes wide-ranging professional interactions during the Harbour Phase at Chennai from Monday to Thursday and a diverse range of operational activities at sea during the Sea Phase from July14-17. 

The thrust of exercises at sea this year would be on Aircraft Carrier operations, Air Defence, Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW), Surface Warfare, Visit Board Search and Seizure (VBSS), Search and Rescue, Joint Manoeuvres and Tactical procedures

Aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya, which would be an added attraction along with USS Nimitz and Japan’s helicopter carrier JS Izumo will take part in the exercise.

Indian Navy's INS Shivalik, which can fire surface to air missile Barak 1, acquired from Israel, besides has ability to detect submarines is also participating with INS Sahyadri, guided missile destroyer Ranvir, indigenous Anti-submarine warfare (ASW) corvette Kamorta, missile corvettes Kora and Kirpan, one Sindhughosh class submarine, fleet tanker INS Jyoti and Long Range Maritime Patrol Aircraft P8I with its air wing,

The US Navy’s USS Princeton, a 30 year-old warship which participated during the Gulf war operations, is being assigned to Seventh fleet to participate in the Malabar Exercise along with Arleigh Burke-Class Destroyers Kidd, Howard and Shoup along with integral helicopters, a Los Angeles-class attack submarine and one long Range Maritime Patrol Aircraft P8A.

Interestingly, USS Princeton will be joining the Third Fleet which is making its way to North Korea, where the regime of Kim Jong-un continues to test missiles capable of carrying nuclear weapons.

A US Navy official confirmed that the vessel will be joining the Third fleet.

Meanwhile, Japan will be represented by its helicopter carrier JS Izumo and destroyer JS Sazaami. The focus is more on JS Izumo, which was commissioned two years ago.

Factfile;

United States Sevent Fleet

Commander: Vice admiral P Aucoin

Warship:

USS Nimitz

Commanded by: Capt Kevin R Lenox

USS Nimitz (CVN-68) is a supercarrier of US Navy, and the lead ship of her class. One of the largest warships in the world, she was laid down, launched and commissioned as CVAN-68 but was redesignated CVN 68 (nuclear-powered multimission aircraft carrier).

USS Princeton

Commanded by: Captain Chris Alexander

USS Princeton (CG-59) is a Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruiser serving in the United States Navy. Armed with naval guns and anti-air, anti-surface, and anti-submarine missiles, plus other weapons, she is equipped for surface-to-air, surface-to-surface, and anti-submarine warfare.

USS Howard:

Commanded by: Commander Ryan R Billington

USS Howard (DDG-83) is an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer in the United States Navy. This ship is the 33rd destroyer of its class.

USS Shoup

Commanded by: Commander Ted Wiederholt

USS Shoup (DDG-86) is an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer in the United States Navy. The ship is named for Medal of Honor recipient General David M Shoup, the 22nd Commandant of the Marine Corps.

USS Pinckney

Commander: Ted Walter

USS Pinckney (DDG-91) is an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer in the United States Navy. She became the first ever guided missile destroyer to refuel and replenish the Mark Five (MK V) high-performance combatant craft.

USS Kidd

Commander: James M Mike Williams

USS Kidd is an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer in the United States Navy. She is the third Navy ship named after Rear Admiral Isaac C Kidd, who was on board Arizona during the attack on Pearl Harbor, and was the first American flag officer to die in World War II. The ship is part of Destroyer Squadron 9 of Carrier Strike Group 3.

USS Jacksonville

Commanded by: Commander Steen Faulk

USS Jacksonville, a Los Angeles-class attack submarine, is the only ship of the United States Navy to be named for Jacksonville, Florida. The ship is nicknamed “The Bold One”

India:

Fleet Commander: Rear Admiral Biswajit Dasgupta

INS Vikramaditya

Commanded by: Captain Ajay Kochchar

INS Vikramaditya is the newest and largest ship to join Indian Navy on November 16, 2013. The ship was commissioned by Defence Minister AK Antony in Russia.

INS Jalashwa:

Commanded by: T V Sunil

INS Jalashwa is an amphibious transport dock currently in service with the Indian Navy. Formerly USS Trenton, she was procured from the United States

INS Sahyadri

Commanded by: Capt Anil Jaggi

INS Sahyadri (F49) is a Shivalik-class stealth multi-role frigate built for the Indian Navy. This class features improved stealth and land attack capabilities over the preceding Talwar-class frigates.

INS Ranvir

Commanded by: Captain Rajiv Ashok
INS Ranvir is the fourth of the five Rajput-class destroyers built for the Indian Navy. Ranvir was commissioned on October 28, 1986.

INS Shivalik

Commanded by: Capt R Vinod Kumar

INS Shivalik is the lead ship of her class of stealth multi-role frigates built for the Indian Navy. She is the first stealth warship built by India.

INS Jyoti

Commanded by: Capt Shyam Sundar Subramanian

INS Jyoti, third of the four Komandarm Fedko-class replenishment oilers. She was modified for naval use and is now being operated by the Eastern Naval Command of the Indian Navy

INS Kirpan:

Commander Pradeep Raman

INS Kirpan is a Khukri-class corvette.

INS Kora

Commanded by: Commander Vikas Jha

Kora-class corvettes are 1,350-ton guided missile corvettes. The Kora-class corvettes were designed by India's Naval design bureau under Project 25A, as a replacement for the Russian-designed Petya II-class corvettes of the Indian Navy

INS Kamorta

Commanded by: Commander Vipin Gupta

INS Kamorta is the first of four anti-submarine Kamorta-class stealth corvettes which has been built for the Indian Navy. It is a significant step towards India's pursuit for self-reliance in indigenous warship building

INS Kadmatt

Commander: Nitin Kariappa

INS Kadmatt (P29) is the second of four anti-submarine warfare corvettes built for the Indian Navy by the Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers of Kolkata under Project 28

INS Sukanya

Commander: Soumitra S Deodhar

INS Sukanya is the lead vessel of the Sukanya-class patrol vessels of the Indian Navy

INS Sindhudhwaj

Commander: Anshul Awasthi

INS Sindhudhvaj (S56) is a Sindhughosh-class submarine of the Indian Navy. It was commissioned in June 12, 1987

Japan:

Fleet Commander: Rear admiral Yoshihiro Goka

JS Izumo

Commanded by: Commander Yoshihiro Koi

JS Izumo is a helicopter carrier and the lead ship in the Izumo class of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force.

JS Sazanami

Commanded by: Hirotaka Okumara

JS Sazanami is the fourth vessel of the Takanami class destroyers of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF). Sazanami was authorized under the Medium-term Defense Buildup Plan of 1996, and was built by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries shipyards in Nagasaki.

writingonblog uncensored: TN exempts payment of stamp duty on transfer of la...

writingonblog uncensored: TN exempts payment of stamp duty on transfer of la...: C Shivakumar @ Chennai: In a bid to promote housing for lower income groups, the state government has exempted payment of  stamp dut...

writingonblog uncensored: TN exempts payment of stamp duty on transfer of la...

writingonblog uncensored: TN exempts payment of stamp duty on transfer of la...: C Shivakumar @ Chennai: In a bid to promote housing for lower income groups, the state government has exempted payment of  stamp dut...

TN exempts payment of stamp duty on transfer of land in lieu of TDRs

C Shivakumar @ Chennai:

In a bid to promote housing for lower income groups, the state government has exempted payment of  stamp duty and registration fee for gifting of roads as well as transfer of land in consideration of Transferrable Development Rights (TDRs).

  

TDR is a mechanism where the government compensates the developer or owner of the land by entitling him with floor space index through a development rights certificate

  

A Government order was issued to this effect by C Chandramouli, additional chief secretary, Commercial Taxes and Registration Department.

This comes as ‘Gift Deed’, which is executed in favour of Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority for public purposes in the form of consideration of ‘Development Rights’ was not valid under the Transfer of Property Act, 1882.

The Act prevents a donor from receiving 'consideration’ in a Gift. The other hitch was the Government Order which stated that an instrument qualifies to be classified as ‘Gift’ or ‘Settlement’ if it is executed by a citizen only. As such real estate company is not entitled for the concession.

  

It is learnt that the government after consultation with Chennai Metro Rail Managing director and CMDA, member secretary has extended stamp duty and registration fee exemption to instruments executed for public purposes in favour of CMDA or CMRL even when there is a ‘Consideration’ in the form of TDRs involed.

  

The stamp duty and registration fee is now exempted to any instrument executed in favour of government or any local authority in the state where properties are given for any public purpose and to omit ‘citizens’ appearing in notifications.

  

S Ram Prabhu, secretary of Builders Association of India, has welcomes the move and said that it would benefit a developer who could use the Floor Space Index guaranteed by TDR and use it develop property in some other area.

Interestingly, TDR mechanism lacks legal sanctity like the new land acquisition act and there is no market for it. Prabhu said that Confederation of Real Estate Developers Association (CREDAI) is working on giving a legal sanctity to it.

 However, planners feel that the government has not amended the Town and country Planning Act to give legal sanctity to TDR as recommended by Justice Mohan Committee report. Unlike the new land acquisition Act, which has a right to compensation, the rules framed for TDR doesn’t have legal sanctity and is only for a period of five years. Planners feel that there is a need for to ensure that TDR can be tradable like a currency then only the exchange of TDRs could be made successful.

Factfile:

1. TDR is a mechanism where the government compensates the owner of the land by entitling him with floor space index through a development rights certificate after taking over his land.

2. Although TDR came into being after Second Master Plan was implemented by Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority, the biggest issue is there is no mechanism or provision on how to encash it or sell it.

3. Planners feel that TDR could be successful if it has a legal backing and a dispute redressal mechanism.

4. Unlike the new land acquisition Act, which has a right to compensation, the rules framed for TDR doesn’t have legal sanctity and is only for a period of five years.