Nov/14/2011

Jayalalithaa asks police to strengthen intelligence network

Chief Minister Jayalalithaa on Sunday said the police intelligence network in the State should be strengthened to keep a constant vigil on extremism and fundamentalism.

Delivering the inaugural address at the two-day conference of Collectors and Police Officers at the Secretariat, she said while enforcing the law, one should not underestimate even small incidents, as such incidents may have the potential to create communal or caste disturbances. Police officers should be highly alert and prevent such incidents by displaying adroitness in handling such complex issues.

Ms. Jayalalithaa said top priority would be given to periodical training of police personnel and equipping them with sophisticated arms, communication and logistic equipment for quick and accurate response.

“With the growing reach of terrorism and naxalism, there are multiple sources of threat to our society. I have always sought to ensure that extremism is countered effectively and is not allowed to foster divisive tendencies within the fabric of our society. I am sure the police will undertake sincere efforts to ensure a peaceful environment in Tamil Nadu. Keeping these destructive influences under check is a pre-requisite for the State to move forward on the path of development at an accelerated pace,” she said.

Mentioning that one of the objectives of the conference was to primarily focus on effective maintenance of law and order, she said the State government had embarked on a course of putting down anti-social elements and rowdies and also gave a free hand to the police to handle all issues without any fear.

Swift and stringent action against land grabbers had restored confidence in the State government and in the police among the general public. This action would be followed up by restoration of lands and properties to the original owners through due process of law, she said.

Stating that corruption was the biggest hindrance to achieving the goal of good governance, she said that as district heads, Collectors had the onerous task of cleaning up the system and improving service delivery. They have to live up to the expectations of the people as their efficiency or lack of it reflected on the government.

She said her government was resolved and committed to giving a clean, transparent, efficient and responsive administration. She also said several electoral promises had been translated into various schemes and programmes.

Endosulfan phase-out from October

The international phase-out of endosulfan with certain exemptions under the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants will come into effect by the end of October next year.

The Secretary-General of the United Nations, acting in his capacity as depositary, has issued notification on October 27 asking parties to the Convention to notify the depository if they are unable to accept the decision of the Conference of Parties (CoP) in April listing endosulfan and its related isomers for elimination with specific exemptions. The notification has been published in the United Nations Treaty Collection on the Internet.

The CoP decision will enter into force for all parties, except those who have notified non-acceptance, on expiry of one year from the date of communication by the depository. India has already expressed willingness to join the phase-out over five years (extendable to 10 years). However, it can seek exemptions on use of endosulfan for specific crop-pest complexes. But, any such move would be infructuous if the Supreme Court confirms ban on endosulfan granted in the case filed by DYFI.

The Persistent Organic Pollutants Review Committee of the Convention has already set up an adhoc working group to review and identify information gaps on alternatives to endosulfan and to assess endosulfan alternatives.

Meanwhile, a few more studies have come out about effects of endosulfan on health. A joint study by M.S. Ramaiah Medical College, Bangalore; Kasturba Medical College, Mangalore; Fr. Muller Medical College, Mangalore; and Manipal University, Manipal, has found association between high levels of endosulfan in bone marrows of children and blood cancer. A Nigerian study African Journal of Biotechnology last month indicated harm to fish and potential risk to human health.

When Nehru visited Andhra University in 1954

Monday is being celebrated as Children's Day, the birth anniversary of India's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru.

On the occasion of Children's Day, it would be interesting for the locals to know that Chacha Nerhu, as he was affectionately called by children, had visited Andhra University in 1954 when he came to Visakhapatnam to launch two ships at the Scindia Shipyard (now Hindustan Shipyard).

 Nehru visited the campus at the request of the then Principal of AU Colleges and HoD of Geology Prof. C. Mahadevan, a reputed geologist who did his Doctor of Science under Sir C.V. Raman, the first non-white, Asian and Indian to receive the Noble prize, recalls a professor of geology N. Subba Rao on the eve of Children's Day.

Prof. Mahadevan showed to the then Prime Minister the largest sized beryl (as seen in the picture), which is 25 inches long with a diameter of 5.6 inches, and was collected by a geology student Mohinuddin from Kurupam area in Viziangaram district. The object must have not only interested Nehru just by the size of it or its uses, but also the quality and nature of the gem stone, since he had studies geology as one of the subjects in his graduate studies at Cambridge University. The same gem stone can still be seen at the museum of Department of Geology. Beryl is a verity of gemstone, which is mainly used in aircrafts, missiles, space vehicles, atomic energy field, x-ray tubes etc, because of its hardness, tensile strength, high electrical and thermal conductivity, non-sparking and non-magnetic nature, and resistance to fatigue, corrosion and changes of temperature, according to Prof. Subba Rao.