Category: Latest

Halma, the FTSE 100 global group of life-saving technology companies, recently announced the appointment of Dharmash Mistry as an independent non-executive Director, effective 1 April 2021. Dharmash will also be a member of Halma’s audit, remuneration and nomination committees. Dharmash brings a wealth of experience as a venture capitalist, entrepreneur and non-executive director. He has extensive experience spanning management of digital assets, digital marketing, evaluating digital business models and driving digital transformation. Dharmash’s venture capital roles have seen him leading investments in disruptive technology companies and early stage ventures. His earlier executive career included roles with Procter & Gamble, Boston Consulting Group and Emap plc. Subsequently, he has been a partner at venture capital firms Balderton and Lakestar. Dharmash has also had a diverse portfolio career acting as a non-executive director at Dixons Retail plc, Hargreaves Lansdown plc and, currently, non-executive director at the BBC, British Business Bank and is Chair of blow LTD. Paul Walker, Chair, commented, “I am delighted that Dharmash has agreed to join the Halma Board. Dharmash brings in-depth knowledge and experience of digitalisation and developing new business models which will undoubtedly be of great value to Halma.” There are no further details to be disclosed for Dharmash Mistry under Listing Rule 9.6.13R.  

Prama Hikvision has recently introduced its wide range AcuSense cameras empowered by the deep learning algorithm for various critical application scenarios. AcuSense technology enables security personnel to focus on human and vehicle events rather than insignificant objects, so they can act more efficiently, which helps save time and costs, while end-users can get full control of their security system anytime, from anywhere. Hikvision AcuSense products were introduced with the idea of making intelligent alarms and services available to small businesses and residential customers for the first time. A sense of safety is one of the most basic human needs, personal and property safety are integrated into that sentiment as well. And this is exactly why people install security systems in their homes and businesses. Compared to conventional sensor-based alarm systems, a surveillance system that utilizes cameras has several advantages – the ability to watch events in real-time, obtaining key data around those events, and providing solid and accurate evidence for law enforcement. By adding a touch of intelligence to cameras and video recorders, AcuSense technology makes these products a perfect choice for an accessible and intelligent security system. The magic behind it all – Deep learning algorithm As its name implies, Hikvision AcuSense technology provides accurate sensing in security hardware. Empowered by deep learning algorithms, AcuSense technology distinguishes people and vehicles from other moving objects. Focus on the right events – Human and vehicle intrusion The most common concerns in perimeter protection are trespassing and vehicle break-ins. AcuSense technology helps focus on human and vehicle events in two ways – the device will only trigger an alarm when the preset intrusion type (human or vehicle) takes place, and videos related to alarm events are sorted into human and vehicle categories for easier footage searches. Accurate alarms for humans and vehicles A video security camera would usually ‘see’ many events, ranging from people crossing a perimeter to animals that accidentally enter. What happens when a person wants to level-up his protection and get a notification when a perimeter-crossing event takes place? For most security events, he will search for video clips that captured human or vehicle activities. With AcuSense devices, this gets easier. Video clips are already sorted into the ‘human files’ and ‘vehicle files.’ Just to simply click one of these categories and use time or location data to quickly locate the clip that he wants. Compared to the conventional method which displays all video files at once, AcuSense makes searching more efficient. Users can focus on alarms triggered by humans and vehicles while false alarms triggered by small animals or other irrelevant objects are vastly reduced. Visual and auditory warning On-site response and deterrence methods using visual and customizable auditory warnings to add another layer of protection. Search targets quickly by type Video clips are sorted by human and vehicle categories, and object classification vastly improves search efficiency. Improved alarm accuracy The latest Hikvision AcuSense devices are engineered with an upgraded deep learning algorithm, which analyzes live video streams and labels them as ‘human,’ ‘vehicle,’ or ‘other events.’ Those labeled as human and vehicle will trigger alarms for security staff, while other events such as rain drops, animals, or the movement of foliage, for example, will be drastically disregarded. The result is a striking reduction in false alarms – now with an accuracy approaching 98%. In this way, security personnel can focus on genuine security issues and take action. Additionally, related videos are automatically sorted by categories for easier search. Enhanced motion detection with human/ vehicle classification Customers familiar with motion detection will appreciate the capabilities of AcuSense technology as well. Taking users’ habits into full consideration, Hikvision designed AcuSense products to integrate human and vehicle classifications with motion detection. More specifically, when motion is detected, the system analyzes whether or not it is associated with a human or a vehicle, and whether an alarm should be triggered. So, when users enable the motion detection function, they can enjoy the same level of alarm accuracy afforded by Hikvision’s AcuSense technology. Flashing light and two-way voice conversation When real-time deterrence is needed, Hikvision also offers camera models with a flashing light and auditory warning. As soon as an alarm is triggered, the built-in light flashes. Simultaneously, security personnel can communicate with the person who triggered the alarm to confirm their authorization, thanks to the built-in speaker and microphone in the camera. Of note, the latest AcuSense cameras even support customized audio tracks, which can be pre-recorded to suit various environments. Better performance in low-light environments The latest AcuSense camera lenses are equipped with an aperture reaching up to F1.4. This technology allows more light to enter the lens, for optimized image brightness, and better performance in low-light environments. Larger detection area Compared with previous AcuSense cameras, this new generation extends target classification distances from 10, 15, or 22 meters to 20, 25, or 30 meters, depending on the model. Customers can choose from 2MP, 4MP, or 4K resolutions, as well as a dome, turret and bullet housings to suit their specific installation requirements. Application Scenarios Alarm receiving center/ monitoring center Security monitoring is never an easy task, especially when it is made responsible for watching over multiple locations at the same time. AcuSense products can help ramp up efficiency and improve workflow. For burglar alarm service: Accurate alarm for human intrusion events only. For playback and video search: Quick search for human or vehicle-related video through sorted folders. Villas Whether one chooses to keep an eye on the house himself or hire a professional service provider to look after his home, there are two functions he will surely want to have: Prompt notification via smartphone: Check alarm information and view live video feed. Light and sound intruder deterrence: React to intrusion events with a flashing light and customizable siren. Factories and warehouses Factories and warehouses store high-value raw materials or commodities. Security here is crucial. However, there is usually only limited manpower to perform such tasks. AcuSense devices offer…

ANIL PURI CMD, APS GROUP A thought leader and an action catalyzer rolled into one – Anil Puri is a rare combination of a visionary, and one who has mastered the art of strategic and tactical thinking to the core. He has been using this combination to seed new ideas and to lead them to their implementation onground. This has been a consistent feature of his career. He has rich experience of approximately 35 years in corporate in diverse domains & from functional managerial level to apex as chairman of a corporate group. His acumen for handling crisis management has prompted him to share his exclusive and niche experiences. Here he will be discussing the topic of Disaster Management which has been one of his favorite subjects. In the series of the articles on Disaster Management, the fire incident of Dec 2011 in AMRI Hospital, Kolkatta has been picked up as a classical case to drive home the key and essential issues.   INTRODUCTION Socio-economic variables depict a high concentration of population in the cities in terms of density per house. Kolkata has the highest number of persons per household (11 person/ household) (IRAD Report, 2013) which renders it in most vulnerable situation due to this kind of fire outbreak. Advanced Medicare and Research Institute (AMRI) is a private hospital chain jointly promoted by the R. S. Goenka led Emami Group, the S. K. Todi led Shrachi Group of companies, and State Government of West Bengal in 1996. The hospital chain has its head office and 6 branches in Kolkata, West Bengal, India, and 6 branches in Bangladesh. AMRI Hospital is ISO 9001:2000 certified, and is located in a densely populated area of at Dhakuria in South Kolkata. SEQUENCE OF EVENTS I n the early hours of the morning on December 9, 2011, a massive fire broke out at annex building of AMRI Hospital Dhakuria, Kolkata. The fire was first noticed by local residents at around 2.30 am. Fire Control Room, Kolkata was informed about the incident at 4.10 am which responded immediately and the fire services arrived at the site within 20 min. Though the fire was primarily restricted within the basement of the hospital, but the poisonous smoke was sucked by air conditioning ducts that carried it through the rooms and the corridors of the seven-story centrally air conditioned hospital. Entire hospital building was filled with thick pile of smoke, caused tremendous suffocation for all the indoor patients. Ninety people choked to death, many of them are in their sleep or were not in condition to even escape. Among the list of dead persons, there were nationals from other countries and states within India. There were victims from Bangladesh, Bihar, Tripura and two nurses from Kerala. As reported by the media, local people noticed the fire at hospital building around 2.30 am and tried to enter the hospital building for rescue. The relatives of the patients, who were waiting outside the hospital overnight also tried to help the trapped patients inside the hospital. The security staff of the hospital stopped the entry in mass into the AMRI annex building, and tried to douse the fire with their own available resources. Fire department rushed into action after receiving the dis-tress call at 4.10 am and reached the spot with available sophisticated firefighting equipment. Around 25 fire engines and hydraulic ladders were used for the rescue and dousing of the massive fire and smoke. It was reported by the Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) that none of the smoke alarms got activated even when smoke started billowing out of the basement. It seems that they had been in switched off mode because they would go off at the slightest smoke and disturb the patients. The sprinklers, gas jets and other water re-leasing equipment that are meant to fight fire, were defunct and none of them went off to prevent the fire. Un-official reports are such that the basement was being used as a smokers’ corner, keeping the fire alarms in switch off mode. This was the second fire at AMRI hospital in three years. The fire services department, government of west Bengal had warned AMRI Hospital in September, 2011 about the inappropriate and dangerous use of the hospital basement. It had served a notice to the hospital authorities questioning the fact that instead of parking cars, the hospital was using its basement for storing empty and filled up LPG cylinders, torn mattresses, and wooden boxes and had converted the entire space into a storehouse. With a December 5 deadline, the hospital was allowed three months’ time to comply, but it did not. The enforcement of law is also in question. CAUSES OF FIRE INCIDENT Though the specific cause of fire could not be established, the director of the fire department in his opinion stated that the fire was most likely caused due to an electrical short circuit in the basement car park. The combustible items like empty and filled up LPG cylinders, PVC pipes, rejected mattresses and wooden boxes immediately got the flame. However, the fact is that the fire didn’t spread to the other part or level of the hospital and was confined to the basement only. As the hospital was centrally air-conditioned, the smoke started billowing out of the basement and spread fast to all the floors through the air-conditioning duct. Soon thereafter, the air-conditioners went off because of the power cut and smoke started accumulating into the hospital rooms and corridors. The centrally air-conditioned hospital didn’t have windows and glass façade walls. As a result, smoke could not be ventilated outside the building. A critical component like mechanical ventilation of centrally air-conditioned buildings was missing in the hospital building. The fire brigade later broke open the glass facade to help the gas escape, though same was too late. ROOT CAUSE ANALYSIS The basement was full with inflammable articles like paper, cotton, mattress, chemicals which amounted to blatant violation of fire safety practices.  Smoke detector and fire…

Data Security Council of India in collaboration with Ashoka University recently launched CIPHER – Coalition of India for a Progressive and Holistic Encryption Regime. CIPHER is a coalition of like-minded institutions and individuals committed to preserving privacy and promoting digital trust by leveraging cutting edge cryptographic technologies. CIPHER would strive towards building a nuanced understanding of encryption among policymakers; assist policymakers in building optimal crypto based solutions for improving governance in India and promote development of encryption-based technologies; nurturing India’s start-up ecosystem in this domain. The launch witnessed wide representation from industry, academia, and civil society organisations. Eminent speakers such as Keri Pearlson, Executive Director, Cybersecurity, MIT Sloan; Peeyush Bajpai, Director, Big Data Solutions, The Nielsen Company; Yashovardhan Azad, Retired IPS Officer, Intelligence Bureau joined the discussions, among others. In the coming days, CIPHER will witness increased collaboration from interested individuals and institutions, enable cutting edge work in crypto technologies, hold discussions, symposiums, and advance the theme of privacy and encryption. Those willing to join the alliance can express their interest at the CIPHER website: https://cipher. ashoka.edu.in/en/ Rama Vedashree, CEO, DSCI, said, “Given the importance of encryption in the digital ecosystem and its cross-cutting impact on the overall policy discourse, it is imperative to hold constructive discussions and bring together a wide variety of stakeholders. CIPHER provides a platform to carry out these difficult yet important conversations, and will strive to create awareness about trust, privacy, and cryptography. We welcome everyone who is interested to join the alliance for a meaningful and solution-oriented approach towards encryption.” Debayan Gupta, Asst. Professor, Dept. of Computer Science, Ashoka University, said, “For too long, cryptographers, policy makers, civil rights activists, and law enforcement have been having parallel conversations around encryption, privacy, and data security without a coherent exchange of ideas. Given the multidimensional nature of these issues, it is critical that we have a common platform to systematically discuss and resolve problems. It is with this hope that we are building CIPHER.” Data Security Council of India (DSCI) is a not-for-profit, industry body on data protection in India, setup by NASSCOM®, committed towards making the cyberspace safe, secure and trusted by establishing best practices, standards and initiatives in cyber security and privacy. DSCI works together with the Government and their agencies, law enforcement agencies, industry sectors including IT-BPM, BFSI, CII, Telecom, industry associations, data protection authorities and think tanks for public advocacy, thought leadership, capacity building and outreach initiatives. For more information, visit: www.dsci.in Ashoka University is a pioneer in its focus on providing a liberal education at par with the best in the world. An Ashoka education carries a strong emphasis on foundational knowledge, thorough academic research based on rigorous pedagogy, and hands-on experience with real-world challenges. The 2000-plus student community, drawn from over 28 states and 100 cities in India as well as 17 other countries, receive a world-class interdisciplinary education through undergraduate and post-graduate programmes led by internationally renowned faculty.  

With an objective to expand the footprint of ASIS International in North India, under the aegis of ARVP North, Region 13A, the Chapter Executive Committee of ASIS New Delhi Chapter # 207 organized ASIS International security meet on 27 February 2021 (Saturday) at Taj, Chandigarh. Security and risk professionals from Chandigarh, Panchkula, Mohali, Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Amritsar, Hissar, Panipat, Baddi, Paonta Sahib, Bhatinda, Jaipur, Rohtak, Sonipat, Karnal, Pune, Zirakpur, Mansa were contacted through community contacts and after registrations were duly invited. Since this was a physical security meet, the registration was restricted to 60 professionals only. The theme of the security meeting was ‘Together We Grow.’ To give thrust and momentum to the theme, the various esteemed committee members of ASIS New Delhi Chapter travelled from Delhi NCR to Chandigarh including Sanjay Kaushik, ARVP, North Region 13A; Gurbir Singh Wasu, Member Certification Committee; Mrs. Aman Singh, Women in Security Committee, Roop Singh Kuntal, Member Certification Committee; J Deepak Kumar Rao, Chapter Law Enforcement Liaison; Balwant Atwal, Former Chapter Chair; Santosh Pathak, Editor, SecurityLinkIndia; Manish Datta, Chapter Chair; Diwakar Nath Pandey, Chapter Vice Chair; Harvindra Singh, Chapter Secretary; Ravi Pratap Chauhan, Chapter Treasurer. The meet started at 4:45pm with registration and high tea. Diwakar Nath Pandey, Chapter Vice Chair welcomed all the participants and spelt out the agenda. Manish Datta, Chapter Chair provided a glimpse on the benefits and introduction on ASIS International. Sanjay Kaushik, ARVP North, Region 13A provided some interesting insights on ‘Evolving role of risk managers in the current environment’ in his address. Harvindra Singh, Chapter Secretary spelt out the benefits of ASIS International Membership. Roop Singh Kuntal covered the benefits of ASIS Certification and Boot Camps. Simagarh Mann of SIS Group Enterprises covered ‘The new dynamics of security operations’ in his address. Two professionals who had signed up for ASIS International membership during the meet – Sohan Pal Yadav and Parminder Chandras – were also introduced. They covered briefly how excited they were about joining ASIS International and what made them sign up. Ravi Pratap Chauhan, Chapter Treasurer concluded the security meet with a vote of thanks and felicitation of the speakers including Ram Panwar and Sohan Pal Yadav who worked tirelessly in making the security meet a great success. Simagarh Mann and other dignitaries of SIS Group Enterprises were felicitated for sponsoring the security meet. The efforts are bearing fruit as the chapter executive committee of ASIS New Delhi Chapter # 207 is signing up new members in Chandigarh and nearby cities, a testimony to establishing a new chapter in the coming months.  

Prama Hikvision has been leading the Indian security industry in video security for years. The company has recently introduced its all new ColorVu cameras powered by the new Hikvision ColorVu technology. ColorVu technology enables cameras to produce colorful videos, even in extremely dimly lit environments. When using a conventional camera with infrared lighting for night monitoring, people, vehicles, or other important objects are blurry and blend into the background, making it difficult to identify details. Color-related information is crucial for many scenarios and is a great asset for data and analyses. However, conventional cameras often lose important details when rendering only black and white images. ColorVu technology is our solution to this common challenge faced by many security system users. Hikvision ColorVu technology Hikvision ColorVu cameras’ powerful ability to capture details in low lighting comes from two specific breakthroughs in hardware technologies – advanced lenses and high-performance sensors. Coupled with a supplemental light for extremely dark scenarios, ColorVu cameras guarantee video with colorful details when needed. The key benefits of full-color video True color information Accurate color rendering. Excellent performance in low-light environments. More details. Clearly captured color information and richer details compared to black and white imaging. Better visual experience Balanced brightness. F1.0 super aperture and advanced sensor guarantee realistic rendering. Application scenarios Residential: Residential buildings, whether town houses, multi-family homes, or apartments, often have several low-light areas that become potentially risky and difficult to navigate in darkness such as walkways, stairwells and other outdoor areas. ColorVu cameras provide unmatched surveillance where incidents or accidents occur, and illuminates areas to reduce risk and improve safety for tenants and visitors. Better quality imaging improves suspect identification when needed, providing a safer environment for residents. Small businesses: Users can monitor entrances and exits as well as dimly-lit interior and exterior areas where theft or other crimes occur such as dark hallways and walkways, dumpster areas, and loading docks. Enjoy better illumination with ColorVu cameras while they protect the employees, customers and assets, helping them to feel safe around and within the property. Parking lots: Parking lots are difficult to protect for many reasons. But ColorVu uses sophisticated supplemental lighting to make parking areas easier to secure. This means there is no need for additional lighting to capture high-quality, full color images. ColorVu’s environment-friendly natural light will not interfere with a driver’s vision, as opposed to harsh, bright, or discolored lights. All these features reduce costs and ensure high-resolution, detailed imagery – such as the color of a person’s clothing or the color of a car – and everything is recorded for forensic review when necessary. Parks and recreation areas: Strategically placed ColorVu cameras illuminate areas with limited lighting that pose risks for accidents or other incidents such as walkways, play areas, entrances to the restrooms, and exercise areas. Better evening and night time illumination keeps members of the community feeling safe and comfortable. Enriched ColorVu options with 4K and varifocal cameras The latest ColorVu cameras offer enriched options to the market with having covered both Turbo HD (DF8T series/ DF3T series/ DF0T series) and network products. The enriched ColorVu series can satisfy a multitude of customer needs, from high performance products to budget friendly choices and smart solutions.   Hikvision has now included 4K ColorVu cameras in its product range, which brings color imaging to ultra-high-definition levels day and night. With better image quality and richer detail, 4K ColorVu cameras can be applied across an even wider range of scenarios including stadiums, airports, harbors, and parking lots, where clear and high-resolution images are necessary. In addition, Hikvision has also added varifocal cameras (the DF8T-Z series) to the new ColorVu models to create 24/7 color imaging in all focal lengths. With 2.8-12mm motorized lenses, ColorVu varifocal cameras will allow users to zoom in on colorful images at night. Enhanced colorful imaging with AA manufacturing technology The latest ColorVu camera lenses have kept the F1.0 super-aperture design, allowing four times more light to enter the lens than conventional cameras (that have F2.0). Focusing high definition cameras with large F1.0 apertures is extremely technical for the industry, requiring very strict and accurate manufacturing. Hikvision has applied its advanced Active Alignment (AA) technology in the production of ColorVu cameras to bring the adjustment accuracy to within 4 pixels, even smaller than 1/30 hair diameter. Meanwhile, with optimized sensors, night time color imaging of ColorVu camera renders much brighter than conventional cameras. A new 3D dynamic noise reduction (DNR) algorithm helps the cameras record additional remote details clearly and deliver sharper images. In addition, ColorVu cameras are equipped with a soft and warm supplemental light that illuminates to guarantee color imaging even in zero-light environments. Quick target search with AcuSense technology Most security camera users only need to focus on alarms triggered by human and vehicles, especially at night. These newly released ColorVu cameras can integrate Hikvision’s cutting-edge AcuSense technology to help users focus only on events that matter to security. Empowered by deep learning algorithms, ColorVu cameras can distinguish people and vehicles from other moving objects such as rain, leaves and animals. Alarms will only be triggered when the pre-set intrusion type takes place. With this solution, video clips are sorted by human and vehicle categories, and object classification vastly improves search efficiency.        

Anil Puri CMD, APS group A thought leader and an action catalyzer rolled into one – Anil Puri is a rare combination of a visionary, and one who has mastered the art of strategic and tactical thinking to the core. He has been using this combination to seed new ideas and to lead them to their implementation on-ground. This has been a consistent feature of his career. He has rich experience of approximately 35 years in corporate in diverse domains & from functional managerial level to apex as chairman of a corporate group. His acumen for handling crisis management has prompted him to share his exclusive and niche experiences will be discussing the topic of Disaster Management which has been one of his favorite subjects. The tragedy of glacial outburst on 07 Feb 2021 in Chamoli Distt of Uttarakhand took him back to basics – the ‘National Disaster Management Authority Guidelines’ issued in Oct 2020; a solitary document on how to handle Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs). Deep dive into the document led to many insights into the key issues which he felt to share with the fraternity to usher in better understanding of the handling of GLOFs. He had extensively toured the entire area of Chamoli to just short of Govind Ghat, and returned only on 26th Jan 2021, just a few days before the disaster.   The sudden flood on 07 Feb 2021 (Sunday morning) in the Dhauli Ganga, Rishi Ganga and Alaknanda rivers triggered widespread panic and large-scale devastation in the high mountain areas. At least 76 persons have been killed and over 150 are still missing after a portion of the Nanda Devi glacier broke off in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district, triggering an avalanche and a deluge in the Alaknanda river system. The sudden flood in the middle of the day in the Dhauli Ganga, Rishi Ganga and Alaknanda rivers – all intricately linked tributaries of the Ganga – triggered widespread panic and large-scale devastation in the high mountain areas. Two power projects – NTPC’s Tapovan Vishnugad Hydel Project and the Rishi Ganga Hydel Project – were extensively damaged with scores of laborers trapped in tunnels as the waters came rushing in. The glacial outburst has raised many eyebrows and fingers about early warning, preparedness and rescue operations and overall handling of such disasters. This sent alarm bells ringing which set in motion my inclination to study the NDMA Guidelines on the subject. Mountain regions are characterized by sensitive ecosystems, enhanced occurrences of extreme weather events and natural hazards. They also symbolize the conflicting interests between economic development and environmental conservation. With rapid global warming, fragile-mountain cryosphere and landscapes are evolving and new threats of landslides, glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs), avalanches, cloud burst, drought and flash floods are posing grave risks to the vulnerable mountain communities. The Indian Himalayan region (IHR) is facing critical challenges while coping with the adverse effects of climate change. The disappearance of mountain glaciers, expansion of large glacial lakes and the formation of new glacial lakes are amongst the most recognizable impacts of global warming in this environment. IHR lies in Seismic Zones IV and V making the region highly prone to earthquakes. Flash floods and GLOFs have killed thousands in many parts of the world. Some of the largest events have occurred in the Indian Himalayas such as the Kedarnath disaster in Uttarakhand (2013) and Parechu river flash floods in Himachal Pradesh (2005). Despite these losses, disaster risk management related to GLOFs has not been mainstreamed into development policies and programs. Objectives of the NDMA Guidelines The National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA) has partnered with the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) along with national experts from concerned Indian institutions for the development of the National Guidelines on Management of Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs). The main objective of the NDMA Guidelines is to generate awareness of various aspects of dam failure hazards in India and to implement suitable actions to reduce both the risk and costs associated with these hazards. The Guidelines envision to improve administrative response, bringing together the relevant scientific capabilities of the nation to eliminate the losses from glacial and landslide hazards. The primary aim of these guidelines is to develop a strategy that encourages the use of scientific information, maps, methodology, guidance for early warning system, response management, development and implementation of initiatives to reduce losses from glacial hazards. These Guidelines also describe the awareness, preparedness, capacity development, research and development, regulations and enforcements and roles and responsibilities of the local, state and national ministries/ departments along with the various scientific organizations and institutions to reduce the potential risks. These guidelines aim to enable concerned ministries or departments of state/ UT, central governments and other stakeholders to take concerted action for preparedness, prevention, mitigation, and response to GLOFs. These guidelines also emphasize awareness and capacity building of the relevant stakeholders. The possibility of GLOF and LLOF in the Indian Himalayan region (IHR) are escalating very rapidly and pose a threat to the lives of millions of people living in this region. NDMA Guidelines lays down the roadmap to mitigate the impacts of glacial hazards and risks, to develop disaster resilient communities and significantly reduce the loss of lives and assets. These guidelines meant to assist the central ministries, departments and states to formulate their respective DM plans and extend necessary cooperation/ assistance to NDMA for carrying out its mandate. What is GLOFs The melting of the glaciers leads to the accumulation of water in the glacial lakes behind the natural dams made of pebbles, sands, ice and ice residue. These dams are called glacial or moraine dams. When such dammed water suddenly gets released, it results in floods known as GLOFs. The moraine dam is a weak structure and this can give way to an abrupt failure of the dam atop the glacial lake. The glacial lake holds a large amount of water, and a dam failure can possibly release millions of cubic…

With its 16th annual MIPS, 100 % virtual and free of charge, Milestone Systems invites partners, customers and media to explore the future of video technology under the theme of ‘Shaping the New Next.’ With more than 2,000 registered attendees from across the globe, MIPS (Milestone Integration Platform Symposium) is where the Milestone Systems community comes together to share insights, experiences, best practices and the latest innovations. Due to the ongoing global pandemic, this will be the first virtual MIPS conference, and the first where attendance is free. We will investigate how video technology is transforming business and society, and why video management systems are at the core of this change. During the two-day event, Milestone Systems will share inspiration from global innovation experts and Milestone Systems executives, and present success stories and industry insights from partners. Milestone Systems’ newly appointed CEO Thomas Jensen will talk about how video technology has moved beyond security and how we will be working with partners to embrace this shift. The CTO Bjørn Skou Eilertsen and CSMO Kenneth Hune Petersen will discuss macro-technology trends, accelerated technology adoption in key industries, and why Milestone Systems believes that video technology is the electricity of the 21st century. The event also offers a deep dive into the impact of video technology on city management, how video technology is improving every facet of transportation, and how computer vision and analytics are creating new opportunities in the retail industry for automation, personalization and even combatting Covid-19. Moreover, Milestone Systems will share insights into the latest deployment possibilities of our video management software, give an exclusive intro to Milestone Systems’ future direction, and present a new product launch. “Not only does MIPS bring together Milestone Systems’ global partner community to discuss our vision of where we are going and how we can contribute to each other’s success. This year, we are looking into how our technology is transforming how we work and live and how we can empower people to make the most of video technology – in security and beyond,” says CEO Thomas Jensen, Milestone Systems. MIPS will be held on March 1-2 for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, and March 2-3 for both the Asia-Pacific and Americas events.  

The Union Budget 2021-22 has been the most awaited, and most anticipated event in the country. Nirmala Sitharaman, the Finance Minister of India presented the Budget in parliament on 1 February 2021 amidst various expectations and speculations. The COVID 19 all through 2020 has brought a regime of doubts, uncertainty and speculations, and in the time people of India has been looking at the budget with great expectations. The Budget was pronounced and brought mixed reactions from the people. We spoke to the industry and some of the industry experts have passed their following points of view – some excerpts: The Union Budget FY 2021-22 is a transformative budget with positive resolve for India to grow further with a vision of the Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan that compliments the ‘Make-in-India’ initiative of the Government. Atmanirbhar Bharat is an expression of 130 crore Indians, who have full confidence in their capabilities and skills. The union budget has identified the six pillars of Atmanirbhar Bharat’s vision. On behalf of Prama Hikvision, we welcome the progressive and visionary budget and look forward to economic growth and stability. The budget has sincere intent to provide momentum to strengthen local manufacturing capabilities. The production linked incentive scheme (PLI) is a welcome move by the government. The review of the customs duty structure is clearly seen as a move towards promoting the domestic manufacturing. We hope that the review of the custom duty structure will be done after extensive consultation with the key stakeholders. As India is set out to become the third-largest security industry in the world, we are striving to accelerate and build on this momentum of local manufacturing. The Indian security industry has seen the self-reliance push in the union budget 2021. We are hopeful that the proposed customs duty hikes on key electronic components will further give boost to the ‘Make-in-India’ 2.0. Smart cities mission is an important driver of growth in the security industry, which has got a big boost in the union budget 2021-22 with allocation of Rs.6450 crore. The move to strengthen the overall research ecosystem to boost innovation and R&D in the country, an outlay of Rs.50,000 crore has been announced for National Research Foundation. It is a big step for accelerating innovation and R&D in India. The budget clearly shows government’s mega thrust on developing infrastructure, road transport, waterways, airports, railway, metro rail, ‘MetroLite’ and ‘MetroNeo.’ It is commendable for its inclusive growth agenda, overall a gradual step toward Atmanirbhar Bharat. Union budget 2021 presented by Nirmala Sitharaman, the Union Finance Minister of India on 01 February 2021 was a turning point and a landmark budget which is appreciated by all sections of industry acknowledging the bold initiatives, intent and paradigm shift in strategic planning to propel the growth of Indian economy on the vision of ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’,‘Self Reliant India’ and ‘Digital India.’ Muted criticism in a democracy like India proves the degree of acceptance. To me, it gave a feeling of ‘1991 moment’ when India took unprecedented acceleration in reforms. The major structural shift in policy reflects Central Govt’s resoluteness and strong conviction to achieve strategic independence by reduction in imports; unlike in past most of the Govt’s drafted the budget with an eye on the vote bank. Likely impact on the Private Security Industry (PSI) The private security industry does not fall into the bracket of manufacturing segment; it is grossly a service industry. This union budget is likely to have a significant impact on the private security industry in the following ways: Huge investment in infrastructure development like highways, metro rail, air ports, SEZ and sea ports etc., is going to increase business opportunity for providing security and allied services like toll tax management. Disallowing delayed deposit of PF as expenses will compel us to ensure its timely deposit. Reduced time limit for reopening of tax assessments to 3 years and establishment of faceless Income Tax Tribunals would reduce harassment. Announcement of voluntary scrapping policy to phase out polluting vehicles is likely to impact all PSIs but more so those providing CIT services. Impact of increase in custom duty on electronic items on PSI PSAs use a large number of electronic items like mobile phones, surveillance equipment, PCs, servers and related equipment. The increase in import duty on these therefore is likely to increase the cost to the private security agencies. These cost increment would be mostly applicable to the procurement of new equipment. Existing electronic equipment already being held will have the impact only in their repairs or upgrading. Rationale of Govt’s imposition of additional custom duty The government proposed to impose import duty on components of mobile phones and chargers as a part of review of 400 exemptions in customs duty including those applicable on the mobile devices segment. Govt cited following rationale for its action: To enhance local value addition. To align the thrust on easy access to raw materials and exports of value addition. To ensure twin objectives of promoting domestic manufacturing and helping India get on to global value chain and exports. Conclusion The Central Govt’s move to make India a manufacturing hub by boosting domestic manufacturing and to transform it as part of global supply chain as an intent and strategy not only sounds good but appears to be viable. Domestic manufacturing is getting a leg up in allocation of funds and recent procurement orders for instance are TEJAS from HAL with LCH in pipeline and latest version of ARJUN from DRDO, ATAG gun from Bharat Forge, drones from a startup and ship building. Domestic manufacturers of mobile phones like DIXON Technology and household electrical appliances by Amber Enterprises are likely to scale up manufacturing and reduce share of imports. Even during COVID 19 pandemic Indian domestic manufacturers played vital and major role in manufacturing of PPEs, medical devices, ventilators and ICU beds to reduce dependence on imports. In my view, the rhetoric of ICEA which is umbrella body for the mobile manufacturers should be taken with a…

Achieving excellence requires an eye for detail, a vision for success and the focus to see it through. It’s a rare combination that Hikvision has created with Hikvision #SeeClear: a set of core technologies that ensure our cameras record the finest details, while always capturing the bigger picture. Hikvision is dedicated to achieving excellence, which is one of our core values, and that’s why we’ve created #SeeClear: a set of technologies designed to give you a precise, uninterrupted view of every situation. Equipped with this comprehensive outlook, you are empowered to make rapid decisions for an optimal outcome every time. Here are 5 examples of how Hikvision core technologies can help you achieve excellence: Hikvision Super Resolution: Always get a precise and clear view To optimize your business operations, you need to see and understand everything. Hikvision Super Resolution allows you to capture both the wider view and the smaller details – all in super-high resolution – so you can maximize your visibility, and focus on achieving your goals. Hikvision Smart Rapid Focus: zoom in on what’s most important Success depends on your ability to focus. With Hikvision’s Smart Rapid Focus, you can zoom in from a bird’s eye view to a close-up image without losing clarity, even for a split second. In this way, you can monitor large areas with just a few cameras, capture critical events in vivid definition, and react quickly to every situation your business faces. Hikvision Image Stabilization: smooth video in unstable locations In locations where movement and vibrations are a constant feature, recording clear video footage is a major challenge. With Hikvision’s Image Stabilization technology, you get smooth, balanced imaging across your camera estate, making shakiness and poor video quality a thing of the past. Hikvision Defog: crystal clear video in adverse conditions Weather can make conditions in outdoor environments extremely changeable and unpredictable – and that can make it tough for video cameras to perform well. In particular, heavy rain, snow, and fog can limit visibility, rendering traditional cameras ineffective. Hikvision’s innovative, defog technology can enhance the color and detail of the field of view, so you never have to battle against poor visibility. Hikvision DarkFighter: clear video in ultra-low light Dark or low illumination conditions can be challenging to your business, whether you are protecting your premises, or actually working in low light. Hikvision’s Darkfighter technology provides high quality video imaging in very low light conditions, ensuring you can monitor and continually optimize your activities 24×7.