Dec/30/2011

Tamil Nadu faces cyclone threat

Even as the very severe cyclonic storm ‘Thane' is inching closer to the coast, the Tamil Nadu and AndhraPradesh administrations have been geared to meet any exigency.

Navy floats out first Indigenous Aircraft Carrier

The first Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC) of the Navy was floated out at the Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL), at a low-key event attended by senior shipping and naval officers on Thursday.

Among those present were Union Shipping Secretary K. Mohandas; Rear Admiral K.N. Vaidyanathan, Director General, Naval Design; and Commodore K. Subramaniam, Chairman and Managing Director of CSL.

The floating ceremony was followed by a meeting to review the progress in the work being done on the aircraft carrier, a 40,000-tonne fleet air defence platform of the Navy, which will be named after the legendary INS Vikrant. The Union Shipping Secretary told The Hindu that the work on the carrier was progressing, albeit not as per schedule, as so many variables were being factored into the extremely complex construction process.

The official added that the commissioning of the carrier, the keel of which was laid in February 2009, was likely to overshoot its original timeline.

According to a senior naval functionary, the carrier was ‘technically floated out' as the shipyard needed the dry-dock for ‘some other commercial work.' “The carrier has taken on about 14,000 tonnes. She would now undergo interior outfitting, including the laying of pipes before being dry-docked again in the latter half of next year for integration of the propulsion gear-box, generators and the like,” he toldThe Hindu .

As earlier reported by The Hindu , a delay in the delivery of gear boxes and associated systems had considerably slowed down the construction of the prestigious carrier. Naval officers, however, put on a brave face saying that the phase in which teething trouble was encountered was over. “The gear box is ready and undergoing trials, at last. The underwater package is all lined up but the rest of the equipment has to be identified and tested,” said a naval source.

After facing initial hiccups due to paucity of supply of steel, the carrier project got the much-required thrust with the Defence Metallurgical Research Laboratory (DMRL) and the Steel Authority of India (SAIL) fashioning carrier-grade steel indigenously.

After the steel supply stabilised, problems pertaining to quality gearbox put the brakes on the project. Elecon Engineering Company Limited, a Gujarat-based firm which had earlier manufactured CODOG marine gear boxes for the Navy's Shivalik-class stealth frigates, found itself in the red attempting to make the carrier's huge main gearboxes. “They have been able to overcome the difficulties with support from a German firm,” said a Navy officer.

‘Weapon technology to undergo a sea change'

Chief of Army Staff General V.K. Singh has said the present decade was likely to see dramatic changes in weapon technology that might fundamentally alter the very nature of warfare.

Aerospace power had revolutionised all other forms of warfare and had itself undergone profound changes with ever accelerating advances in technology, said Gen. Singh in his address at the combined graduation parade of 175 flight cadets of all branches of Indian Air Force at the Air Force Academy near Dundigal here on Thursday.

The Army chief said the security environment in the region had necessitated induction of sophisticated and costly equipment into the armed forces. Though the need for such a step was long felt, it could not be fulfilled due to resource constraints.

“These constraints will continue and it will be your duty to handle the equipment provided to you with care and efficiency.”

As a growing regional power, India's strategic footprint would be influenced by its interests and responsibilities. The burgeoning economy made energy and trade security as important as the country's territorial security. The country needed a strategic reach in order to meet its security challenges and fulfil all other responsibilities, he added.

The parade was followed by the traditional fly past featuring feats by fighter aircraft of the IAF, including a newly acquired Hawk, AN-32, Dornier and Kiran.

The loop and tumble by multi-role aircraft Sukhoi Su-30, as it whizzed past at a speed of 200 kmph impressed the large crowd.

The AN-32 dropped Akashganga paratroopers from a height of 8,000 ft. The 28-member Air Warrior team displayed magical movement of rifles to the amusement of the crowd.

International classical guitar festival takes off in Kolkata

Bringing the who's who of the international classical guitar fraternity together under one roof, one of the biggest classical guitar festivals in Asia got off the ground here on Thursday.

The week-long Calcutta International Classical Guitar Festival 2011 has lined up a series of 13 concerts in which 40 artistes from all over the world would participate at the ICCR auditorium, said Avik Saha of the Calcutta Classical Guitar Society, the organisers.

Global musical bigwigs like America's Adam del Monte, Bosnia's Denis Azabagic, AKGI duo of Andreas Kapsalis and Goran Ivanovic and Spain's Eugenia Moliner are expected to enchant the audience with their electrifying performances in the second edition of the music carnival.

Winner at the 1997 Stotsenberg International Classical Guitar Competition, del Monte is a dynamic force with both the flamenco and classical guitar.

Having performed the world over, his first flamenco concert in the city will be on Friday night.

The festival will also witness the world premiere of renowned musicians Bickram Ghosh and Papon collaborating with Scottish singer Rachel Sermanni for ‘Troikala' project. Planned as an album and a series of concerts in India and Britain, the project will explore musical synergy in folk music across borders.

Young British Sarod maestro Soumik Datta will present his new musical journey, ‘Sounds of Bengal', with tabla player Arif Khan on Sunday evening.

Besides all this, Grammy winner Pandit Vishwa Mohan Bhatt, jazz fusion musician Amit Heri, one of India's most sought after guitarists Amyt Datta and Hindustani classical musician Kala Ramnath will mesmerise music aficionados in the series of soirees.

To hone the talent of young and budding musicians, 33 classes and seminars on the nuances of Western classical guitar will be held where techniques, styles and the history of the stringed musical instrument will be taught. “We want youngsters to get the opportunity to witness the veterans and perform in front of them so that they are encouraged to take up music as a vocation,” Saha told PTI.

“We are dedicated to promoting the interests and aspirations of classical guitar professionals, students, teachers and guitar lovers of India,” he said. - PTI

Musical bigwigs like USA's Adam del Monte, Bosnia's Denis Azabagic and Spain's Eugenia Moliner are expected to perform

Notices for 187 amendments in Rajya Sabha

Notice had been given for as many as 187 amendments to the Lokpal and Lokayukta Bill, 2011 including from the Trinamool Congress for deletion of the entire Part III of the Bill regarding establishment of the Lokayuktas. The Biju Janata Dal and the Shiromani Akali Dal too had given similar notices.

By afternoon, the Rajya Sabha had received 173 amendment notices. The number swelled to 187 by evening as announced by the Minister of State for Personnel V. Narayanasamy.

Normally notices are taken 24 hours in advance but on Thursday, notices were accepted till late evening, while the government took the stand in the House that there were too many amendments which “needed consideration.”

Among major amendments were the ones given by the Bharatiya Janata Party for deletion of words “not less than” 50 per cent of members of Lokpal belonging to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled tribes, Other Backward Classes, Minorities and Women in Clause 3.

They also asked for deletion of the word ‘Minorities' in Clause 3 and inclusion of Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha on Selection Committee in Clause 4. They also wanted Lokpal to appoint his secretary and not select from a panel given by the government

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) gave amendment for replacement of eminent jurist on the Selection Committee with “an eminent person to be nominated by the Chief Election Commissioner, Comptroller and Auditor General and Union Public Service Commission. They also wanted the Inquiry Wing under the Lokpal to be replaced by “Investigation Wing” with the Central government providing officers and staff under exclusive jurisdiction of the Lokpal as decided in consultation with the Lokpal.

The Party gave another amendment for inclusion under the Lokpal of “any corporate body, its promoters, its officers including Director against whom there is a complaint of corruption in relation to grant of government licence, lease, contract, agreement or any other action to influence government policy through corrupt means.”

They wanted Lokpal to take suo motu action in a compliant of corruption.

The Communist Party of India gave amendments against for deletion of immunity to Prime Minister in cases of corruption in relation to “public order.” Under the Chapter ‘Jurisdiction for Inquiry,' they gave amendment for inclusion of Director, Manager, secretary or other officer of “Non-Government Organisation” receiving government funds or foreign funds in excess of Rs 10 lakh.

The party also sought inclusion of Chairman, MD or member of Board of Directors of “any private company or business house” which deals with Centre of State and against whom compliant regarding a government tender or contract.

SP amendment

The Samajwadi Party gave amendment for inclusion of Leader of Opposition in the Selection Committee, inclusion of NGOs and media in the jurisdiction of Lokpal, submission of investigation report to “appropriate court,” not Lokpal, and appointment of chairperson and members of Lokayukta should include an eminent jurist not nominated by Governor but by the “collegium of three senior-most judges of the High Court.”