Fillip to community policing programme

Staff Correspondent

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The first Janamaithri Kendram under the Community Policing Programme of the Kerala Police will be set up at the Fort police station in the city.

Addressing a monthly Janamaithri meeting of office-bearers of residents’ associations here on Saturday, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) C.H. Nagaraju said Janamaithri Kendrams would also be set up at the Cantonment, Pettah and Medical College police stations. The proposed kendrams will be the nodal point of the Janamaithri programmes and road safety awareness schemes.

The Deputy Commissioner said steps would be taken to ensure that buses stopped at the designated stops and bus bays. The city police have procured decibel meters to prevent the misuse of loudspeakers during public functions and festivals.

The problems faced by road users near the Azad gate of Secretariat, GPO junction and encroachment by cobblers near Gandhi Park were among the issues raised at the meeting. The unwarranted presence of local guides near the houses of Male citizens in the vicinity of Medical College and the problems posed by migrant labourers also came up.

Following complaints that headload workers in Muttada were demanding exorbitant rates for shifting household materials, Mr. Nagaraju directed the police to register a case of extortion against them. He said such activities would not be tolerated. The meeting also discussed the absence of reflectors at bumps and illegal parking of vehicles near the Spencer Junction.

Replying to a remark made by an office-bearer that the media were publishing detailed stories on murder, other crimes and telecasting video footages from surveillance cameras, he said the investigating officers had been barred from talking to the Press. It was clarified that the photographs or sketches were provided to the media to assist in efforts to nab the accused as in the case of the recent burglary at Pettah. “The media carries out an investigation and it takes place parallel to our probe. It is good, as it is a check on the police,” he added.

The city police will look into the demand for a pre-paid autorickshaw stand at the Kochuveli railway terminal.

Officials of the KSEB, JICA and Kerala Road Fund Board attended the meeting. Assistant Commissioners of the four sub-divisions and two traffic sub-divisions, Circle Inspectors and Sub-Inspectors from the city police station limits took part.

(The Hindu, 13 December 2009)

35,000 subordinate courts needed: K.G. Balakrishnan

Staff reporter:

BANGALORE: Chief Justice of India K.G. Balakrishnan on Saturday said there was an urgent need to increase the number of subordinate courts in the country from 16,000 to 35,000.

Mr. Balakrishnan was speaking at a conference on alternative dispute resolution — conciliation and mediation, organised by the International Centre for Alternative Dispute Resolution.

Besides, he said there were only 14,000 judges for 16,000 subordinate courts and added that he had requested State governments to recruit presiding officers. The States were not recruiting judicial officers every year and this was leading to vacancies not being filled in time.

Governor H.R. Bhardwaj said the Bar and the Bench should join hands in solving the problem of pendency of cases. Karnataka, he said, had taken the lead in filling vacancies of all judges in subordinate courts. “Let the other States emulate this,” he said.

Mr. Bhardwaj wanted the courts to go to the villages. When a Magistrate visited a village and resolved issues, it would increase the confidence of the common people in the judiciary.

He said when he was the Union Law Minister, States always said they had no money to spend on the judiciary. Finance, he said, should be procured from the Centre or the Finance Commission.

Supreme Court judge P. Sathasivam said as of July 2009, there were 53,000 cases pending before the Supreme Court, 40 lakh cases before the High Courts and 2.7 crore cases before the subordinate courts.

While the Supreme Court could clear the arrears, it would be difficult for the High Courts and subordinate courts to do so.

Gujarat model

Supreme Court Judge Dalveer Bhandari said all vacancies in the judiciary should be filled, and the Gujarat model of setting up evening courts should be implemented in other States too.

Union Law Minister M. Veerappa Moily said if the concept of grama nyayalayas picked up, 50 per cent of the cases pending before the subordinate judiciary could be dispensed with.

Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa said the State government had extended all help in making the Bangalore Mediation Centre one of the best in the country.

(The Hindu, 13 December 2009)

Jail inmates to be made e-literate

Staff Reporter:

Thrissur: ‘Jeevika’, an e-literacy programme for the inmates of Viyyur Central Jail, was launched on Monday.

Presiding over the function, Additional Director General of Police (Prisons) Alexander Jacob said that the inmates of jails in the State would be trained in new vocations under the new Plan scheme. “The concept of prison management has changed over the years. Jails are no longer expected to be hellish dungeons. They should be correctional centres. They are expected to provide facilities for betterment of inmates. Some of the inmates are highly qualified. You may be surprised to know that there are five doctors and 12 engineers among the inmates of the Central Jail at Poojappura in Thiruvananthapuram,” he said.

He said that rehabilitation programmes in jails could not afford to ignore information technology. “If knowing the three Rs constituted literacy in the 19th and 20th century, understanding the world of information technology signifies literacy in the 21st century. Imagine the world of wonders the Net has opened. You have 28 crore books waiting to be downloaded,” he noted.

He said that some of the inmates of jails were not convicts. “They are remand prisoners and under-trials. Of the 100 inmates who are tried, only 13 are convicted. In the absence of proper measures, inmates can develop negative traits. This should be avoided.”

As part of the e-literacy programme, a computer training centre has been set up in the jail. Ten computers and related equipment have been installed.

(The Hindu, 15 December 2009)

Gorshkov price negotiations in final stages: Navy

New Delhi: The protracted price renegotiation for the Admiral Gorshkov aircraft carrier between India and Russia is in final stages, Navy chief Admiral Nirmal Verma said on Wednesday.

But he refused to set a deadline for clinching the deal, the talks for which have been going on for three years now. “I am not inclined to hazard a guess on the time frame. We are in the final stages. Fourth round of talks on fresh price is going on at present to fix the tasks needed on Gorshkov and the costs,” Verma said when asked if the negotiations would be over before Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s scheduled visit to Russia this weekend.

“It is a fact that the Gorshkov project is behind schedule. But we are working on it to get delivery by 2012. We continue to address it at every bilateral meet with the Russians,” he said.

Assuring that the work on Gorshkov, which India bought in 2004 and rechristened as INS Vikramaditya, had not stopped, Verma said the repair and refit was continuing with adequate resources pumped in by Russians to complete the work before the revised deadline.

After India bought the warship for USD 974 million, Russian shipyard, Sevmash, hiked the price twice since 2007 and currently demands an additional USD 2.9 billion for the warship.

Defence Minister A K Antony recently said the deal was not likely to be clinched during Singh’s visit to Moscow.

 (The Indian Express, 2 December 2009)

 

Fighter aircraft Tejas clocks fastest speed during testing

INS (Hansa) Goa: In the final phase of its tests before formal commissioning, India’s indigenous light combat aircraft Tejas went past its ultimate speed of 1,350 KMPH over the Goa skies and clocked the fastest speed ever, a top IAF officer said on Tuesday.

“The aircraft went past its ultimate speed of 1350 kmph on December 7 over the skies in Goa after take off from the naval air station INS Hansa,” Commander Rohit Varma, project director (flight test), National flight test centre, told reporters here.

“This is the fastest speed ever achieved by an Indian- made fighter aircraft,” he said.

The aircraft also passed flight flutter test diving from an altitude of four kilometers to almost sea level at 900 feet.

“Tejas has already passed high-altitude tests in Leh, the desert rigours in Rajasthan and now it has proved its worth over the maritime space in Goa,” Varma said.

The IAF has already ordered 20 LCAs from HAL at a contract worth Rs 2701.70 crore. The fighters are to be delivered by 2013.

The LCA, a project of aeronautical development agency (ADA) is the first supersonic fighter craft manufactured indigenously by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).

The aircraft will have naval and Indian air force version, of which the latter is undergoing testing at Goa naval base.

“It can fly from a base and also from an aircraft carrier,” P S Subramanyam, Programme Director (Combat aircraft) and director, ADA, said.

The officials confirmed that the naval version of the aircraft would be attached to aircraft carrier Gorshkov once the aircraft is inducted for operations.

Subramanyam said the LCA-naval will have capability to take off from ski jump platform of aircraft carriers. “The development of the naval version is progressing very fast.

There are few glitches but we will overcome them.” The IAF is likely to base the lightweight multi-role jet fighters at Sulur in Coimbatore. “They are earmarked for squadron no 45, which will be the first LCA squadron,” Varma said.

The HAL has manufactured four aircraft which are being put under rigorous testing by fighter pilots.

Varma said a team led by Captain Jaydeep Malawankar was testing the aircraft before their induction into the defence force.

Air vice Marshal Shankar Mani told reporters that the first consignment of four aircraft would be delivered by January 2011, followed by eight aircraft in 2012 and another eight in 2013.

(The Indian Express. 8 December 2009)

 

 

 

 

 

Govt to be ‘reluctant’ litigant: Moily

Nwe Delhi: With the Cabinet approving a proposal to reduce the petitions by governments, which are the largest litigant in courts, Law Minister M Veerappa Moily on Wednesday said his Ministry was working out a blueprint to implement the National Litigation Policy.

As the courts battle 3.5 crore pending cases before them, the government has been identified as the largest litigant.

“That is why there is an urgency to make the government a reluctant litigant,” Moily told a seminar on ‘Rule of Law’ organised by the Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Contemporary Studies and Freidrick-Naumann-Stiftung fur die Freiheit.

“The idea is to reduce the pendency levels before 2012 by bringing down the time taken to dispose of cases from the present 15 years to just 3 years,” he said.

For the purpose, the Law Ministry has come out with a National Litigation Policy, in consultation with other ministries and after compiling the number of pending cases of each of the ministries.

Among other projects approved by the government include the National Legal Mission to take judiciary to the doorsteps of the common man, he added.

On Rule of Law, the Minister said it was meant to protect the ‘aam aadmi’ (common man), as much as it protects the rich.

He said the idea of democracy and purpose of the Constitution was to uphold the rights of the poor and prevent “exploitation, corruption and malpractices”.

(The Indian Express, 9 December 2009) 

101 IAF pilots have applied for early retirement: Antony

New Delhi: Government on Wednesday said 101 Indian Air Force pilots have applied for premature retirement citing suppression, lack of career progression, medical and compassionate grounds as the reasons.

“Around 101 pilots of the IAF have applied for the grant of premature retirement during the last one year,” Defence Minister A K Antony said in a written reply to a query in the Rajya Sabha.

“The broad reasons furnished by applicants for grant of premature retirement are suppression, lack of career progression, medical and compassionate (grounds) etc,” he said.

The minister said the IAF considers these applications on-case-to-case basis in accordance with the existing government policies.

He added that the IAF was taking several steps such as advertising in print and electronic media, motivational lectures in schools and participation career fairs to reach out to youth across the country.

Replying to another query, the Minister said IAF had lost 13 aircraft in different crashes during the year.

The list includes an An-32 transport aircraft, three MIG 27s, three MiG 21s, two Su-30MKIs in Jaisalmer, one each Mi-17 and Mi-8 along with two trainer aircraft.

 (The Indian Express, 9 December 2009)

 

CRPF to get micro gadgets, precision weapons

Nwe Delhi: The Home Ministry is in the process of procuring micro gadgets and precision weapons for the CRPF, which is preparing for a major anti-Naxal offensive.

Official sources said the Ministry is looking at buying night vision enabled sniper rifles for the force, which could be a major advantage for the personnel in anti-Naxal operations.

“The guns can prove to be of great help in operations as snipers can be used for undertaking precise strategic assault on Naxal hideouts,” a source said.

The CoBRA personnel have already been provided with carbon fibre AK 47s, which are not only lighter than a normal AK 47 but are equally sturdy.

The new weapons that are being procured include the Under Barrel Grenade Launcher (UBGL) that could be fitted on any gun including an AK 47 to fire grenades to a distance of 50-150 metres, light weight automatic MP 5A rifles and Fragmentation Grenades which can cause heavy damage as it breaks into pieces.

Also included in the shopping list is lightweight fibre based Glock Pistol that is more accurate and has less recoil.

The commandos of the special unit will also have the option of using ‘laser sights’ that can be fitted on any gun to provide accuracy while dealing with the Maoists. Besides, special telescopic manipulator with high-end lens and portable X-ray machines will also be given to the force.

The force which would operate in heavy naxal-infested areas, especially deep forests and remotest villages, would get high frequency transmitters along with “better” satellite phones to remain in contact with the control station.

While security personnel are currently using bullet proof jackets that weigh about 14 kg, the Ministry is now procuring special light-weight jackets which weigh about six kg. The CRPF have already invited tenders for 59,000 such jackets.

 (The Indian Express, 11 December 2009)

 

Navy to build four amphibious warships

New Delhi: Aiming at adding more teeth to its amphibious warfare capabilities, the Navy is planning to build four Landing Platform Docks (LPD) to join the fleet alongside INS Jalashwa, a US warship bought by India in 2007.

The Navy is already in the process of getting the design for the LPDs ready in the next year or two and will move the government for sanction to build these warships.

“The plan is to add four more LPDs to the fleet and these would operate alongside INS Jalashwa, the only LPD currently in service,” a senior Navy officer said here today.

“In the coming year or two, we are going to finalise the design for the LPD, which is somewhat akin to INS Jalashwa. The government sanction for building these ships would be obtained next,” he said.

INS Jalashwa — a Sanskrit name for Hippopotamus — is a replenishment and amphibious warfare ship with capacity to embark, transport and land a 1,000-men battalion along with equipment and tanks to support operations on enemy shores.

Being the second largest ship in the Navy inventory after aircraft carrier INS Viraat, Jalashwa is also capable of undertaking maritime surveillance, special operations, search and rescue, medical support as well as humanitarian aid. Jalashwa was originally commissioned in the US Navy as USS Trenton and had served for 36 years when India bought it for USD 48.44 million and commissioned it in its Navy in June 2007.

After a refit programme at Norfolk, US, Jalashwa joined the Indian Navy service late in 2007 and is based under the Eastern Naval Command in Visakhapatnam. Jalashwa became the first ship the US transferred to India. It is also the first LPD in the Indian Navy service.

“The need for such a landing transport amphibious warship was felt in December 2004 when Tsunami waves hit Indian coast including the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and southeast Asia,” the officer said.

India had rushed its warships with medical aid and food to the countries hit by Tsunami, but an LPD, which could be converted into a multi-bed hospital, would have made a difference, they said.

“But more than that, LPDs provide the Navy strategic reach to operate far away from Indian shores and support amphibious warfare,” they added.

Jalashwa also carries four mechanised landing craft and eight landing assault craft, which could be launched by flooding the ship’s well deck, a speciality of LPDs. These craft could reach enemy shores and dock to deliver infantry and mechanised troops, tanks and equipment.

It also has a flight deck for operating four medium helicopters simultaneously, apart from operating Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) aircraft such as Sea Harriers, which the Navy possesses, in special circumstances. Last February, Jalashwa had a gas leak on board in which five Navy personnel died and three were critically injured.

 

(The Indian Express, 13 December 2009)

India to test fly light combat helicopters by month-end

Bangalore: India will shortly test fly the indigenously designed and built Light Combat Helicopter (LCH), which will augment the IAF’s fleet of small and highly maneuverable rotary flying machines.

A ‘baby’ of the Bangalore-headquartered defence PSU Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, the first prototype of LCH is expected to take to the skies between December 26 and December 29, a senior HAL official said here today.

HAL has already bagged a firm order to deliver 65 LCH to the IAF and 114 to the Army, company sources said. Unlike HAL’s Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) “Dhruv” which has been described as broad and bloated, the LCH is very, very sleek. The new light chopper is currently undergoing functional tests, and is expected to be ready for ground run by December 24.

“It (LCH) is quite different from ALH in terms of configuration and structure,” the official closely associated with the project, said on condition of anonymity. HAL hopes to obtain certification for LCH in 2012-13, and the delivery of the machines is expected from 2014-15. LCH would also have a weaponised version, similar to ALH.

“There will be rocket pods, a machine gun as also an air-to-air missiles in the combat version of LCH. But in the first prototype all these features will not be there,” the official said.

HAL has also started design of a light observation helicopter (LOH) which would eventually replace the ageing fleet of Cheetah and Chetak helicopters which have been in service since 1978. “We have got about 600 of them (Cheetah and Chetak) in service now. They are reaching the end of their technical life as they have flown 60,000 hours or more,” he said.

 India plans to buy 197 LOH helicopters, for which it has short-listed Eurocopter, Augusta Westland and Rosoboronexport. Sources said India is expected to place the order after finalising one of them by next year-end. HAL has already secured an order to supply 187 LOH.

“So, while India will buy 197, HAL will also make 187,” officials said. Meanwhile, HAL officials said platforms offered by major global manufacturers in response to the company’s request for proposals on finding a foreign partner for its proposed medium lift helicopter project were found to be not exactly meeting our requirements.

“We are choosing a platform which will be modified to suit our requirement. All the platforms are not exactly meeting our requirement. So, we will have to call them for discussions, freeze the specifications and then tender it out formally,” they said.

LCH’s maiden flight comes at a time when helicopter business is booming for HAL, which has already sold 100 numbers of Dhruv, mostly for armed forces, with further order to deliver another 159, worth Rs 15,000 crore. HAL is mulling to set up more helicopter divisions.

“We will have to create infrastructure for making new helicopters. The present infrastructure is full, to the brim. We may not be able to do more there. We will have to put up new facilities for helicopter manufacturing”.

 (The Indian Express, 14 December 2009)