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Ambassadors and diplomats from 70 nations arrive in Varanasi to witness Dev Deepavali celebrations

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Ambassadors and diplomats from 70 nations arrive in Varanasi to witness Dev Deepavali celebrations

In a dazzling display of cultural convergence, ambassadors and diplomats from over 70 nations have gathered in the historic city of Varanasi to partake in the grand celebrations of Gurupurnima. Organised by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the distinguished guests will bear witness to the lighting of earthen lamps on the auspicious occasion of Kartik Purnima, alongside the mesmerising Ganga Arti and Dev Deepavali festivities at Kashi.

They received a warm welcome at Varanasi’s Lal Bahadur Shastri airport.

Varanasi, a city steeped in spiritual significance, has played host to various international events, including G20 and SCO meetings during India’s presidency. Notably, it was designated as the first SCO cultural city earlier this year, underscoring its global prominence.

As Varanasi gears up for the grand celebration of ‘Dev Deepawali,’ the city is adorned with brilliant lights and decorations, setting the stage for a breathtaking spectacle. Dev Deepavali, often referred to as “the Diwali of the Gods,” unfolds on the full moon night of the Hindu month of Kartika, embellishing the riverfront ghats of the Ganges from Ravidas Ghat to Rajghat with over a million earthen lamps.

The festival promises a visual feast with a show featuring firecrackers, lasers, and music against the backdrop of the moonlit sky. A green aerial firecracker display is set to enhance the divine ambiance of the event, illuminating the sand in front of the Ganga gate of Shri Kashi Vishwanath Dham.

The festivities, organised by the Uttar Pradesh Government, include a laser and crackers show along with the illumination of the ghats with a staggering 12 lakh lamps. A green aerial firecracker show, lasting approximately 13 minutes, will captivate the audience, showcasing the grandeur of Dev Diwali in Varanasi.

With over 7 to 8 lakh devotees expected to attend this year’s celebration, stringent security arrangements are in place to ensure a safe and joyous experience. The Deputy Director of the Tourism Department, Rajendra Kumar Rawat, emphasised the meticulous preparations for the Green Aerial Fire Crackers Show, promising a breathtaking spectacle that will leave a lasting impression.

As the city resonates with hymns dedicated to Lord Shiva, including “Har-Har Shambhu” and “Shiv Tandav Stotra,” Varanasi is poised to offer a truly enchanting and spiritually uplifting experience.

Under the vision of Prime Minister Modi and the UP govt, Dev Diwali has transcended local boundaries, captivating a global audience and cementing Varanasi’s status as a beacon of cultural and spiritual vibrancy.

Earlier this month, the MEA orchestrated the visit of ambassadors and diplomats from 50 countries to Ayodhya for the enchanting Deepotsav celebration on the eve of Diwali, further showcasing India’s rich cultural tapestry.

(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)

New Zealand’s newly-elected conservative government scraps Jacinda Ardern government’s smoking ban to fund tax cuts

OpIndia Staff
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New Zealand’s newly-elected conservative government scraps Jacinda Ardern government’s smoking ban to fund tax cuts

Shortly after being sworn in as the new Prime Minister of New Zealand, Christopher Luxon has confirmed that his conservative government will revoke the ban on smoking in the country. The decision comes almost a year after Jacinda Ardern’s New Zealand Labour Party-led government imposed an infinite ban on smoking for those born on or after 1st January 2009.

The reversal, hailed by the tobacco industry, is reportedly expected to help the newly-elected coalition government pay for the tax cuts which were the major part of its poll promises.

According to reports, culling the ban on smoking was one of the agreements the National Party had signed as part of its coalition with New Zealand First party. The agreement includes “removing requirements for de-nicotisation, removing the reduction in retail outlets and the generation ban”.

PM Luxon says that the reversal will keep the bootlegging industry at bay. He reportedly said, “Concentrating the distribution of cigarettes in one store in one small town is going to be a massive magnet for crime.”

New Zealand Finance Minister Nicola Willis had said last week that if the law was implemented, it would have reduced government revenue significantly.

“Coming back to those extra sources of revenue and other savings areas that will help us to fund the tax reduction, we have to remember that the changes to the smoke-free legislation had a significant impact on the Government books – with about $1 billion there,” Willis reportedly said.

The National Party emerged with the highest vote share in the general elections but fell short of a majority. It aligned with ACT New Zealand and New Zealand First to form the government.

Some of its key promises were to bring down inflation, and tax cuts. While the PM has said that the decision will generate revenue for the government, he said that “it was not the motivation”.

The anti-smoking law was passed in 2022 by the leftist government led by Jacinda Ardern and was due to be implemented in July 2024. The move had reportedly inspired UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to introduce a similar ban.

Meanwhile, anti-smoking group Health Coalition Aotearoa said that revoking the smoking ban was an insult to the country.

“This is a major loss for public health, and a huge win for the tobacco industry, whose profits will be boosted at the expense of Kiwi lives,” the group has said in a statement.

‘Kejriwal masters the art of corruption,’ says BJP as it points out irregularities at Delhi Jal Board’s STP upgradation

OpIndia Staff
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‘Kejriwal masters the art of corruption,’ says BJP as it points out irregularities at Delhi Jal Board’s STP upgradation

On Monday (27th November), the Delhi Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) accused the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) of discrepancies in the tendering process for upgrading its sewage treatment plants. State unit president Virendra Sachdeva has written to the CBI, Enforcement Directorate (ED), and Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena, requesting an investigation into the case. According to Sachdeva, the AAP government “hurriedly” granted the upgrade work at “escalated” costs by “flouting norms.”

Calling for the cancellation of the tender awards to the contractors and the constitution of an inquiry against officials and the minister concerned, Sachdeva said, “A bidder was awarded work even while the contractors had not submitted the DPRs as mandated in the tendering process.”

BJP national spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia also addressed a press conference on 27th November and alleged corruption by AAP Govt in Delhi Jal Board. “A scam related to Delhi Jal Board has surfaced. 10 STP (Sewage Treatment Plants) divided into 2 categories. In the first category, only upgradation was to be done and in the second category, the work was to be done to increase the capacity. Its estimated cost was Rs 1,500 crore but in 2022, the Delhi Jal Board awarded the contracts, the total value of which was around Rs 1,938 crore,” Bhatia explained.

He also added that Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal had mastered the art of corruption. “If there is any politician in India who has mastered the art of corruption, lies, and deceit then it is Arvind Kejriwal,” he added.

The Aam Aadmi Party meanwhile commented on the matter and said, “Everyone knows that the bureaucracy in Delhi reports to the Centre. They have all the power to take any kind of disciplinary action against any official. So far, the BJP has only chosen to protect all corrupt officials of the Delhi government. Every day, they allege a new scam, but don’t take any action against any official.”

“Now BJP is alleging that some officers of DJB have violated tender guidelines. The Delhi government has itself asked DJB and finance department to identify errant officers based on complaints received so far, but no action has been taken so far,” the party added.

Virendra Sachdeva, president of the Delhi BJP meanwhile has sent detailed notes to investigating agencies and the Lieutenant Governor, requesting an investigation into the alleged discrepancies. He has also called for the projects to be canceled and an investigation into the officials and ministers involved.

‘Afraid that Tejas will crash now’: TMC leader makes controversial remarks to attack PM Modi after his sortie in indigenously built fighter jet

OpIndia Staff
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‘Afraid that Tejas will crash now’: TMC leader makes controversial remarks to attack PM Modi after his sortie in indigenously built fighter jet

On 27th November, Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Santanu Sen made a controversial statement against Prime Minister Narendra Modi while commenting on his sortie in Tejas aircraft.

In his statement to ANI, Sen said, “I am a little bit afraid when Mr Narendra Modi was very much there in the country, the ISRO failed. When Kangana Ranaut met Narendra Modi, her movie became a super flop. When Virat Kohli shook hands with Narendra Modi, he didn’t get a century for 3 consecutive years. And finally, after winning 10 consecutive matches in the recently held World Cup, just because our Prime Minister went to that stadium, India got defeated in the final…I’m afraid that in no time this particular aircraft will crash.”

The hate for PM Modi is deep-rooted in the opposition party leaders which was visible in the recent statement by TMC leader Sen. He not only wished in a way for Made-in-India aircraft Tejas to fail just because PM Modi to fly in it but also accused PM, Modi, for the failure of films and Indian Cricket Team in the ICC World Cup’s final match.

Furthermore, he claimed the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) failed when PM Modi was in the country. It appeared he was referring to the instance when Chandrayaan-2 failed to land on the moon’s surface in 2019. However, he failed to remember that half of its objectives were completed and it was indeed a limited success. It was only because of the current government under PM Modi that ISRO got enough funding to pace up its space programs including sending Indian astronauts to space in the coming future.

Opposition leaders blamed PM Modi for India’s defeat in Cricket World Cup

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in a public meeting during the election campaign called PM Modi “Panauti” as India lost in Cricket World Cup 2023’s final. He was not the only one to accuse PM Modi of the defeat. Earlier, Congress’s Social Media and Digital Platforms chairperson Supriya Shrinate posted a video of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah sitting at the stadium during the match and insinuated if they were “smiling widely” over India’s loss in the Cricket World Cup 2023.

In reality, the video clip was shot after the completion of 32 overs. At that time, Australia was at 172 runs with a loss of three wickets. At that time, there was still hope for the Indian Cricket team to make a comeback. The fans were also laughing in the row below where PM Modi and HM Shah were seated. If Shrinate was to be believed, did she mean that even the fans laughed at India’s loss? Other Congress leaders and supporters also hopped on the wagon to blame PM Modi. Apart from Congress, TMC’s Pritish Roy, called PM Modi “panauti” over the loss at the match.

Notably, the Election Commission of India (ECI) issued a show cause notice to Rahul Gandhi over his “panauti” and ‘Jaibkatra’ remarks on PM Modi.

Did not want from my heart for Yogi Adityanath to become CM , but his performance is superlative: Vikas Divyakirti of ‘Drishti IAS’

OpIndia Staff
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Did not want from my heart for Yogi Adityanath to become CM , but his performance is superlative: Vikas Divyakirti of ‘Drishti IAS’

On Sunday (26th November), the founder and Managing Director of the coaching institute ‘Drishti IAS’, Vikas Divyakirti, conceded that he did not want Yogi Adityanath to become the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh in 2017.

He made the revelations during the ‘Seekho Path Saphalta Ka (Learn the way to success)’ session, which was moderated by journalist Saurabh Dwivedi during the third day of the ‘Sahitya Aaj Tak 2023’ event in Delhi.

On being asked about his dislike for Yogi Adityanath, Vikas Divyakirti remarked, “When discussions were underway to make him the CM, I wanted from my heart that Yogi Adityanath did not become the Chief Minister.”

The Managing Director of Drishti IAS, who has a history of making anti-Hindu remarks, claimed, “I was of the opinion that someone like him with a strong religious background will not be fit for a political position of the Chief Minister.”

“If I analyse his track record of the last 5-7 years, then, I can say without hesitation (barring a few instances) that Yogi Adityanath’s performance as the CM is superlative.”

Vikas Divyakirti on Rahul Gandhi, Nitish Kumar and Tejashwi Yadav

During the session, he was also quizzed about his opinion on Congress scion Rahul Gandhi and Bihar’s Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav.

“Rahul Gandhi is constantly evolving into his best version. He is doing much better now as compared to the past. He is becoming better by the day. But I do not think he stands a chance in the 2024 elections. But it is possible that he will be a strong contender in the 2029 polls,” Vikas Divyakirti remarked.

“If he can become a strong contender, then, what is the issue? Why should we live under the impression that a country will ruled forever by only one party (referring to the BJP)? Let new players come into the political scenario and lead the command of the nation. I do not find anything wrong in it,” he added.

The Managing Director of ‘Drishti IAS’ also praised Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and hailed him as an ‘able administrator.’ Vikas Divyakirti also claimed that RJD politician Tejashwi Yadav is a ‘promising future leader’ of Bihar, who has supposedly been able to leave behind his legacy of ‘Jungle Raj.’

‘Both Congress and BRS are sinners, they are destroying Telangana’: PM Modi in Mahabubabad

ANI
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‘Both Congress and BRS are sinners, they are destroying Telangana’: PM Modi in Mahabubabad

In a run-up to the assembly elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi hit out at the Congress party and the ruling Bharatiya Rashtra Samithi while addressing a public rally at Mahabubabad in Telangana on Monday.

“Both Congress and KCR are equal sinners in destroying Telangana. So, the people of Telangana can’t let in another disease after ousting one – I have seen this everywhere in the state. The trust of Telangana is in the BJP,” PM Modi said.

He further asserted confidence in the BJP winning the mandate in Telangana and said that the party’s Chief Minister in the state will be from the BC (Backward Class) community. The Prime Minister alleged that the Congress and Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao let down the state and only BJP can help and fix Telangana.

“The four wheels and the steering of BRS’ ‘car’ are no different from the ‘hand’ of Congress. Both these parties indulge in appeasement on the basis of religion. Both of them boosted corruption. Both of them promoted dynasty politics. Both of them took appeasement to new heights,” he said.

“Wherever both these parties remained (in power), law and order got destroyed. Both parties betrayed the Dalits and the BC community. It is only BJP that is truly empowering the tribal community and SC community,” he added.

PM Modi said that Telangana is going to create new history by overthrowing the KCR government. He also vowed to initiate an investigation into the scams under the BRS government once the BJP comes to power in the state.

“The people of Telangana are gearing up to overthrow the KCR government. Telangana is going to create a New History! BJP considers this its responsibility to free Telangana from the clutches of BRS. All scams of KCR that he did here will be probed by the BJP Government. Those who betrayed the poor and youth of Telangana will not be spared,” the PM said.

PM Modi also accused CM KCR of ‘branding’ the state as ‘superstitious’ while it identifies with tradition and technology.
He added that since BJP refused to be ‘friends’ with BRS, CM KCR has been abusing him.

“KCR realised the increasing power of BJP much earlier. For a long time, he was making an effort to strike a friendship with the BJP. Once, when he came to Delhi, KCR met me and made the same request,” he said.

“BJP can never work against the wishes of the people of Telangana. Ever since BJP turned down KCR, BRS has been baffled. The party doesn’t lose any opportunity to abuse me. BRS knows that Modi will never let it anywhere near BJP. This is Modi’s guarantee,” PM Modi added.

The Prime Minister is in the state promoting BJP’s candidates as the state is slated to be held on November 30. Apart from PM Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP national president JP Nadda are also holding public rallies and roadshows in the state in an attempt to woo the voters.

All major political parties in the state, including Congress, BJP and BRS, have stepped up their campaigning processes with the last date of campaigning on Tuesday before the state goes to polls on November 30.

In the last Assembly elections in 2018, the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), previously known as Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), won 88 of the 119 seats, hogging 47.4% of the total vote share. The Congress came in a distant second with just 19 seats, while the BJP drew a blank.

What is ‘Rat Hole Mining’: Experts say manual drilling may be the only way the 41 workers can be rescued safely

ANI
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What is ‘Rat Hole Mining’: Experts say manual drilling may be the only way the 41 workers can be rescued safely

In an effort to step up the rescue operations in Uttarkashi, a rat hole mining technique will be used for manual drilling to remove the debris inside the pipe on the 16th day of continued rescue efforts in the Silkyara tunnel, according to officials.

As per the official sources, a team of 6 specialists have reached the site to undertake the manual drilling work. They will go inside the 800 mm pipe of the tunnel to remove the debris manually. The team includes engineers from the Indian Army’s Madras Engineering Group as well as civilians.

Apart from the drilling machine, a hammer, a shovel, a trowel, and a life support device for oxygen will be carried by these specialised teams while going inside the tunnel.

The auger machine being used for horizontal drilling of the tunnel that got stuck inside the pipe was cut and removed earlier today using a plasma cutter. The auger machine stuck inside the pipe, produced 48 m of debris on the mouth of the tunnel, which will also be removed by the rat miners.

Rat miners are specialists in digging and drilling manually in narrow passages including tube mines who mostly work in mines and have the experience of drilling for hours.

The rat hole mining technique is generally used in coal mining, especially in regions that have difficult terrain.

“It is a challenging operation. We were called in from Delhi. We reached here yesterday. We are basically from Madhya Pradesh. We will try our best to complete the drilling process as soon as possible,” one of the civilian specialists who reached the site to carry out manual drilling told ANI.

The Army’s engineering unit has made steel frames of 1.2×1.5 m whose thickness is 1 m. The Madras Sappers along with the help of other agencies will take the frames one by one from the mouth of the tunnel to the inside which will also take at least 10 days.

Thirty personnel of the engineer regiment are at the spot to expedite the rescue operations.

Over 35 metres of vertical drilling work have been completed so far out of the 86 metres needed to reach the trapped workers.

SJVN, a public sector undertaking company involved in hydroelectric power generation and transmission, started the vertical drilling work on the top of the tunnel atop the hill on Sunday, November 26.

This machine has the capacity to go only to a depth of 45 meters, after which the machine and its parts will be replaced and then the manual drilling work will start.

Today is the second day of vertical drilling and as per National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL), the drilling work is expected to be completed by November 30, as the agencies have set a time frame of 100 hours i.e. four days for it.

A delegation led by Principal Secretary to Prime Minister, Pramod Kumar Mishra took stock of ongoing efforts to rescue 41 trapped workers in the Silkyara tunnel in Uttarkashi on the 16th day of the operations.

Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla and Uttarakhand Chief Secretary SS Sandhu along with Pramod Kumar Mishra inspected the work inside the tunnel.

Micro tunnelling expert Chris Cooper said earlier on Monday (27th November) that all the debris from the auger machine has been removed and manual drilling to reach the trapped labourers will start in a few hours.

The auger machine being used for horizontal drilling of the tunnel that got stuck inside the pipe was cut and removed using a plasma cutter, on Monday morning.

Vouching for the manual method, former Army Engineer-in-Chief, Lieutenant General Harpal Singh (Retd), told ANI that there is no other way left except the manual method to reach the trapped workers.

After a portion of the tunnel caved in on November 12, the debris falling in the 60-metre stretch on the Silkyara side of the tunnel trapped 41 labourers inside the under-construction structure.

(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)

Malaysia to allow visa-free entry to Indians from December 1, joins Sri Lanka, Vietnam, and Thailand to extend such a waiver

OpIndia Staff
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Malaysia to allow visa-free entry to Indians from December 1, joins Sri Lanka, Vietnam, and Thailand to extend such a waiver

On 26th November (Sunday), Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim announced that Malaysia is set to scrap entry visa requirements for citizens of India and China starting 1st December. With this announcement, Malaysia has become the fourth country to announce visa-free entry for Indian nationals after Sri Lanka, Vietnam, and Thailand did the same in recent months. 

As per the new policy, Indian and Chinese nationals will enjoy a visa-free stay of up to 30 days in Malaysia, which however will remain subject to security screening. The Malaysian Prime Minister made this announcement late on Sunday while addressing the People’s Justice Party’s annual congress, according to Bloomberg.

Regarding security screening, the Malaysian Prime Minister explained, “Initial screenings will be conducted for all tourists and visitors to Malaysia. Security is a different matter. If there are criminal records or the risk of terrorism, they will not be allowed to enter. That comes under the authority of the security forces and immigration.” 

However, Ibrahim didn’t specify for how long the visa exemption would be applicable under this process. As per reports, the visa-free announcement is aligned with Malaysia’s strategic move to boost economic growth by attracting additional tourists and their spending. 

According to the Bloomberg report, Ibrahim had previously stated his intentions to improve visa facilities in the upcoming year, with a special emphasis on tourists and investors, particularly from “India and China”. 

According to data from the Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board, 324,548 Indian tourists visited Malaysia in 2022. In the first quarter of 2023, 164,566 Indian tourists visited the nation while the number was at 13,370 Indian tourists during the same period last year.

Until now, Indian tourists could avail of the visa-on-arrival facility in Malaysia if they arrived from Thailand, Indonesia, or Singapore. This facility also required Indian nationals to have a valid visa for any of these transit countries and confirmed return tickets to India. Malaysia provides different visa options for Indians, such as the eNTRI Visa, E-Visa, and Transit Pass, each designed for specific purposes and lengths of stay. 

In October, the Thailand government announced its decision to grant visa-free entry to tourists from India and Taiwan. This initiative is effective for a six-month period, starting from 10th November 2023 to 10th May 2024. Regarding the announcement, Thai PM Srettha Thavision said, “We will provide visa-free entry to India and Taiwan because a lot of their people like to travel to Thailand.” 

Similarly, Sri Lanka also announced a visa-free entry initiative for tourists from India and six other countries, including China, Russia, Malaysia, Japan, Indonesia, and Thailand. 

Earlier this month, The Culture, Sports, and Tourism Minister of Vietnam, Nguyn Van Jung called for short-term visa waivers for key markets such as India and China to boost the recovery of the country’s tourism sector, as reported by the Vietnamese news agency VnExpress. 

According to the latest Henry Passport Index 2023, Indian passport holders can visit 57 countries without requiring a visa. This includes destinations offering facilities such as visa-free travel, visa-on-arrival facilities, and Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA).

Bengaluru airport to do away with gadgets-in-tray security checks: KIA to bring in quick CT technique for screening travellers

OpIndia Staff
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Bengaluru airport to do away with gadgets-in-tray security checks: KIA to bring in quick CT technique for screening travellers

Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) could soon become the first Airport in India to phase out the widely used gadgets-in-tray security check system. As per the Moneycontrol report, passengers at KIA’s Terminal 2 (T2) will soon be no longer required to take out personal electronic devices, like mobile phones and laptops, from handbags for security checks. 

A trial run for the Computer Tomography X-ray (CTX) machine will soon begin within the next few weeks at KIA’s T2, said Bengaluru International Airport Limited which operates the KIA facility. As per officials, the CTX machine will be integrated with the Automatic Tray Retrieval System (ATRS) and full-body scanners. Initially, the new system is intended exclusively for domestic passengers and is expected to become operational in December 2023.

Speaking with Moneycontrol, Chief Operating Officer of BIAL, Satyaki Raghunath said, “The trial run for the CTX machine at T2 will begin within the next few weeks.”

He added, “KIA will be the first airport in India to begin passenger trials for the CTX machine, which will be integrated with the Automatic Tray Retrieval System (ATRS) and full-body scanners.”  

As per BIAL officials, three full-body scanners have been installed at T2 to ensure a faster and more secure flying experience.

Explaining the operational part, BIAL’s COO Raghunath added, “Operators can rotate the view to look at the contents of bags, cutting down on re-checks and physical inspection. Also, the new system will reduce the number of trays required per person during security screening.” 

“This means passengers will be able to leave their electronic items (laptops, etc.) and LAGs (liquids, aerosols, and gels) in their bags and go through a quicker screening process. It will also reduce processing time at security checkpoints. Removing fewer items from luggage means fewer trays, speeding up divesting and reducing contact points, thus improving hygiene,” the official was quoted saying by Moneycontrol.

The new security screening system will eliminate the need for patting down passengers following an initial screening which is done by the walk-through metal detector.

Raghunath further stated, “The CTX Proof of Concept (POC) is undergoing trial at T2. The installation and integration with ATRS lanes are currently underway, and trials on passengers will begin very soon.” 

According to the official, advanced screening of carry-on baggage using CT and automatic explosives detection algorithms will improve security outcomes. Additionally, superior 3D image quality and CT can better identify the density of liquids.

The KIA’s Terminal 2 (T2) which is also known as a ‘terminal in a garden,’ was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in November 2022. It was built with a budget of around Rs 5,000 crore and the domestic operations on the T2 began on 15th January this year. The International flight operations began from this Terminal on 12th September. 

The Airport’s Terminal 1 (T1) caters to domestic flights while T2 is dedicated exclusively to international carriers.

More airports will have to follow this new system by year end

Earlier in April this year, the Times of India had reported that the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) has asked big airports to install full body scanners and X-ray Computed Tomography (CTX) machines by 31st December 2023. The report noted that airports which handle over 50 lakh passengers annually have been asked to install these machines but most operators are likely to miss the deadline. In line with that, airports in Pune, Kolkata and Delhi are also making switch to new system and progress for trials are underway.

(List of seven major Airports in India with more than 1 crore footfalls, Image Source – MoneyControl)

As per media reports, Delhi airport has conducted CTX trials but it is yet to carry out passenger trials for the CTX machine, integrated with ATRS and full-body scanners. 

A spokesperson for Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) said, “CTX trials were conducted at IGIA in Terminal 2 from February 2023 to May 2023. Based on the trials, feedback is now awaited from stakeholders.” 

Meanwhile, Delhi’s IGI Airport currently does not have full-body scanners, the report added. 

The spokesperson added, “CT & FBS are under procurement. Trials for CTX were also conducted at Mumbai and Bengaluru airports. The major advantages of the facility are passenger convenience, enhanced security screening, ease of screening/identification of threat articles, smoother passenger transit, and faster security screening.” 

A brief about Computer Tomography X-ray and Full body scanner technology

Computed Tomography X-ray (CTX) machines offer a non-destructive method to visualise internal features within solid objects and gather digital information about their 3-D geometries and properties. The resulting images are segmented into smaller ones, each corresponding to a specific thickness.

Unlike regular digital images made up of pixels, CT slice images are created using voxels (volume elements). A complete 3D representation is formed by compiling a series of contiguous CT slices. The grey levels in these images show X-ray attenuation, indicating how much X-rays are scattered or absorbed in each voxel. This depends on X-ray energy, material density, and composition.

Using this data, a CT scanner generates a highly detailed tomogram (slice) of the bag. The scanner can then compute the mass and density of each item within the bag based on this tomogram. If an object’s mass/density aligns with that of a potentially hazardous material, the CT scanner alerts the operator to the presence of a potential safety concern.

Full-body scanners make passengers stand inside until an image is taken, unlike the current practice of walking through a metal detector. If the scanner doesn’t show anything unusual, no further checks are needed, unlike the current system where officers also use a handheld metal detector and sometimes do a pat-down search.

Several trials of full-body scanners were conducted in the past in India, but the final installation was halted. Initially, passengers were skeptical about the scanner images, and the BCAS also had concerns about blank spots from these machines. However, full-body scanners are gradually being introduced at airports worldwide.

US: Khalistanis heckle Indian ambassador after he was honoured by Gurdwara in New York

OpIndia Staff
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US: Khalistanis heckle Indian ambassador after he was honoured by Gurdwara in New York

On Sunday (26th November), the Indian Ambassador to the United States, Taranjit Singh Sandhu was heckled by a group of pro-Khalistani elements during his visit to the Hicksville Gurdwara in New York’s Long Island.

Sandhu was visiting the Gurdwara on the occasion of Gurpurab to offer prayers. In a viral video, pro-Khalistani elements can be seen confronting the ambassador with irrelevant and baseless questions about the murder of Khalistani terrorists Hardeep Singh Nijjar and Gurpatwant Singh Pannun.

The video was shared on X (formerly Twitter) by Bharatiya Janata Party’s national spokesperson RP Singh. He wrote, “Khalistanies tried to heckle Indian Ambassador Taranjit Singh Sandhu with baseless Questions for his role in the failed plot to assassinate Gurpatwant, (SFJ) and Khalistan Referendum campaign.”

“Himmat Singh who led the pro-Khalistanies at Hicksville Gurdwara in New York also accused Ambassador Sandhu of India’s role in the assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was President of Surrey Gurdwara and the coordinator for the Canadian Chapter of the Khalistan Referendum,” he further added.

The Khalistani extremists called the Indian Ambassador “responsible for the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar”. They also accused the Ambassador of “plotting to kill Gurpatwant Singh Pannun”.

When the Sangat and other personnel present at the scene tried to push the Khalistanis away, they warned the Gurdwara officials to not touch them. The incident took place after the ambassador was honoured at the Gurdwara.

As the pro-Khalistani elements kept hackling the ambassador, he calmly walked towards his vehicle and left the premises. Later, Sandhu posted about his visit to the Gurdwara but did not mention any incident involving pro-Khalistani elements.

In a post on X, he wrote, “Privileged to join the local Sangat, including from Afghanistan, at Guru Nanak Darbar of Long Island in celebrating Gurpurab- listened to Kirtan, spoke about Guru Nanak’s everlasting message of togetherness, unity, & equality, partook langar, and sought blessings for all.”

The murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar and accusations against India

In June 2023, Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar was killed in Canada by unknown assailants probably as a result of a gang war. However, in September 2023, the Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau, accused India of being involved in the murder.

Following the accusations, Canada also expelled a senior Indian diplomat. India categorically denied any involvement in the murder and expelled a senior Canadian diplomat in retaliation.

Furthermore, 41 more diplomats were asked to leave the country and warned to strip them of their diplomatic immunity. In October, the diplomats of Canada left India.

Canada tried to gather support from its Western allies but failed to do so. Even after two months of the diplomatic blunder that Canada made, India is yet to receive any credible evidence that Indian agents were involved in the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

India has also raised the issue that the Canadian government has been harbouring terrorists and giving them political and financial power on its soil. Since the accusations, Indian diplomats and Hindus living in Western countries are facing threats from the Khalistani elements.

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