Category: Latest

  Sun Life ASCI is committed to the fundamental principles of information security – confidentiality, integrity and availability. With work-from-home becoming the new normal, there is a greater need for organizations to maintain a robust and reliable security framework. It is equally critical to keep employees informed about best practices, elevate their awareness and maintain stringent compliance. We strongly feel that enterprises with secure technology and communication platforms would always fare better in times of crisis and ensure business continuity with minimal risk exposure   The COVID-19 pandemic has presented an unprecedented global crisis impacting everybody’s professional and personal lives. Organizations have been coerced to adopt work from home (WFH) to enable business continuity, which is turning out to be the ‘New Normal’ now. As a global financial organization, it became imperative for Sun Life Asia Service Centre India (ASCI), (the Global in-house Center of Sun Life Financial), to ensure that its operations, network and critical infrastructure are highly secure and stable. Sun Life ASCI has deployed robust and advanced cyber security solutions to ensure a stable and secure network for its employees to support business operations securely while working from remote locations. All the assets are regularly scanned and patched to ensure there are no vulnerable attack vectors available for the attackers. The organisation has a centralized global SOC (Security Operations Centre) which continuously monitors remote access logs and alerts for anomalies. The internal access policies and firewalls are constantly reviewed and updated and all access to the employees are provisioned based on ‘Least Privilege’ and ‘Need to know’ principle. Employees have been advised to use the secure connection to Sun Life network by ensuring VPN only usage on company-owned hardware with up-to-date security features, to prevent any infected data/ malware into the company’s network. During a long remote access session, employees are required to re-authenticate themselves. Endpoint devices are one of the most critical type of equipment when employees work from home. They are also an easy target for cyber-attacks while the world grapples with the pandemic making it even more important to secure endpoint devices. At Sun Life ASCI, IT team has updated its endpoint device policy framework to block installation of unauthorized utilities/ applications. Full disk encryption has been enabled on employees’ laptops. All employee’s handheld devices are completely protected by MDM (Mobile device management). Antivirus and anti-malware solutions are deployed on the end user devices. The organisation has deployed a phishing defense solution to minimize attacks and continuously educates employees on different phishing scenarios. Constant communications with employees on best security practices; sharing of data security videos and circulation of critical updates relating to the operating system and other applications educate them about the same. Email security policies are reviewed to make them more stringent and filter out malicious emails. ASCI also has a 24×7 IT and security support desk to manage any incidents and queries. Data security as a topic is also discussed in virtual townhalls and leadership messaging.  

The state of wellness of private security industry (PSI) is directly related to the health of Indian economy. Finance is the lifeline of any business, and if the revenue generation pipeline gets dry, the businesses cannot survive. The COVID shock has been so sudden that the road to recovery has become very rocky and bumpy, marred with multiple intangibles, and full of hurdles. The statistical data unleashed by the RBI Governor only spells gloomy economic scene slipping into recession with negative growth of GDP as all indicators appear to be nosediving, and thereby fragility of Indian economy has come to the surface. The short term quick-fixes can only ease the situation temporarily as full-fledged recovery in long term requires a sound road map built on many unorthodox and out of the box measures resulting from the equations needed to be made between GOI and states, PE and security provider, micro enterprises and the migrant labor, MSME and Banks and so on. We have tried to put the rail back on track but now we may have to lay the new tracks to restore its stability, speed, and over all comfort to all stakeholders in the journey.   THE HURDLES The hurdles in the journey to the recovery are visible on the wall in ‘big and bold’ letters and can best be summarized as under: Lack of coordination between the Central Government and certain State Governments – their muscle flexing and incoherent and shifting strategies. The murky handling of issues of migrant labor such as false promises of salary and food, and no demand of rent during the lockdown period and directives to this effect. Their subsequent reversal led to the despair and exodus of migrant labor leaving the factories and production lines without workforce. Abrupt disruption of demand and supply chain due to the direct impact of lockdown that was clearly punctuated with near term uncertainty. The ‘poor to no’ visibility in reversal of cycle of manufacturing and service sector post lockdown due to domestic and global fragmentation of demand and supply chain and also for the possibility of migrant labor returning to work in delayed time-frame. Failure of financial stimulus and its sluggish implementation to trigger economic stability. The extension of moratorium on payment of loans to the banks also added to woes of the banks and liquidity in the financial sector. Lack of any definite time-line in the discovery of vaccine against CORONA infection despite the global efforts by the pharmaceutical companies is another dampener. Non-flattening of the COVID curve and unprecedented spike in daily cases of CORONA infection despite over 70 days of lockdown is a cause of constant worry. The casual and irresponsible behavior of certain cross section of citizens towards police, doctors and other health workers in fight against CORONA added retrograde steps and undesired controversies. Fishing in dirty waters by the political parties during such turbulent times has led to misinformation campaigns which added pain to the poor, confusion in the social media, and exposed them of their falsehood of little care for the cause of poor. The devastation and misery inflicted by Amphan cyclone in states of West Bengal and Odisha, and Nisarg in Maharashtra and Gujarat have also added to the barriers on the road to recovery. Delayed or lack of pro-activeness in luring the Japanese and American companies from China to India.   THE HORIZON The horizon for the PSI looks hazy as the impact of pandemic is unprecedented and un-paralleled. It has inflicted deep rooted fear psychosis and behavioral changes in the mass and entrepreneurs. The wheels of economy like travel and tourism, transportation, education, hospitality and entertainment, shopping, manufacturing and servicing will be subjected to the new normal and will have to tread with caution to come to the original scale and volume. These are the sectors of hope and revival for PSI as banking and financial sectors are the only source of oxygen for survival and lease of life during the crisis. The conflict of interest between Mall owners and retailers over rentals for lock down period remains unresolved. PSAs are still contesting with PE for fulfilling their obligations. The travel and tourism is likely to ignite the demand for railways and domestic air travel which in turn will generate demand for hospitality and entertainment. Consumption will fuel the manufacturing and servicing. The PSI will have to traverse the parallel path with unlocking of economy as it unfolds.   THE SILVER LININGS  To my mind, despite the above, there are some silver linings which can still be counted:  High degree of rate of recovery of COVID patients.  The relative low fatality rate of COVID patients in India – exception being the high risk groups with pre-existing co-morbidities.  Likelihood of good and timely monsoon as predicted by IMD.  Bumper crop output from agriculture sector and adequate buffer stock of food grain.  Proactive role of RBI and presence of adequate Forex reserves.  Likelihood of consumption demand surging from rural areas.  Lack of jobs in rural areas will force migrant labor to rethink and result into their return to work.   CONCLUSION To keep afloat the PSA and PSI have limited options to keep searching for avenues of expansion of revenue growth, keep engaged with the existing clients, resort to cost cutting, pruning of work force in offices, aggressive collections strategy, remote delivery of training, adoption of new technologies and processes, and wait & watch for wheel of economy to rumble on new track with new normal. However, the entrepreneurial and fighting spirit of the PSI will ensure that they not only weather the challenges of COVID times but will emerge stronger than ever before.  

Keeping people safe and healthy in unsure times like those of today’s COVID 19 is the latest challenge. Authorities and companies are scrambling to find ways to help manage such challenge and reduce risks. Hikvision offers temperature screening solutions to help them build processes and infrastructures to prevail. Taking the temperature of the situation Temperature is an important indicator of physical health, especially during the current COVID 19 situation. In many scenarios, people with abnormal temperature could have a health issue. To have a proper effect, it’s crucial that this is detected and monitored quickly and accurately. But traditional methods of temperature measurement are time-consuming and can put operators at risk. At times like these, technology can provide an efficient alternative. With advanced detectors and algorithms, Hikvision’stemperature screening thermographic cameras are designed to detect elevated skin-surface temperatures. This means they can be used for rapid and preliminary temperature screening in hospitals, stations, airports and other public places. These cameras have an accuracy rate of up to ±0.5°C, giving a valuable indication of which persons should be further tested for fever. It takes just one second to detect a person’s skin-surface temperature, and the system can measures multiple people at the same time. This means it is efficient in an entrance, for example, where a number of people will be passing at the same time. The use of AI technology means non-human heat sources for example, a hot coffee are ignored, and that helps in reducing false alarms. Once a person is identified by the camera as having a higher skin-surface temperature, he can be flagged for further investigations. The system can also be useful to monitor a situation providing useful anonymous data from a safe distance supporting end users’ potential analysis or research. All this is also achieved with fewer people, not only making it easier to manage and more efficient but also reducing the overall risk of unnecessary exposure. Flexible solutions Hikvision’s thermal portfolio has a number of options to help with temperature screening. For example, a turret/ bullet camera with AI combined with iVMS 4200, a laptop and a bracket can be used as a quick solution that can be easily and quickly installed. For higher accuracy, a solution with a Blackbody calibrator gives an accuracy of ±0.3°C. There’s also a more mobile option, using a handheld camera that can connect to a smart phone or PC through Wi-Fi to a Hik-Thermal app. This also features a built-in speaker for audio alarm. There are also solutions that combine temperature screening with access control, allowing lobbies to be monitored and, if necessary, people measuring above a certain skin-surface temperature refused entry until they are double-checked by alternative methods. It’s important to remember that Hikvision’s temperature screening thermographic cameras are designed for the detection of skin-surface temperatures so as to achieve rapid preliminary screening in public areas. Actual core body temperatures should be further confirmed using clinical measurement devices. This is just one element of a complex infrastructure to overcome challenges in unsure times. It can also give managers and researchers useful information, collected in a safe manner. Hikvision is committed to developing technologies to empower vision for decision-makers and practitioners, and enhance safety and security.  

Healthcare facilities like hospitals, special healthcare centers and clinics have myriad of specialized protection requirements. What’s more, they require security, safety and hygienic environment for the patients, doctors, nurses and paramedic staff. Hospital and healthcare authorities should consider a smart healthcare solution to address various security, safety and hygiene challenges effectively. Special Requirements Hospitals and health care facilities are designed to be places of healing, recovery and tranquillity. However, with high volumes of people constantly coming and going – visitors, volunteers, patients and others – maintaining smooth operations and responding quickly to emergency events are becoming more challenging. Furthermore, recording the activities of hospital personnel, securing limited access areas, and keeping parking lots operating efficiently require intelligent technology. Some of the most common requirements for a hospital solution might includeensuring around-the-clock safety for patients and staffs, quickly evaluating incidents for prompt event response, effectively managing access control and attendance for critical and restricted areas and centralizing operations for all the various systems. Hikvision Solution Hikvision’s solution for healthcare facilities helps answer to all of these concerns and more, with its advanced technology, powerful cameras, and reliable recording devices. Everywhere from guard stations to intensive care units, Hikvision products powerfully assist and protect healthcare facilities and personnel, making both security and management for hospitals easier and more intelligent. Temperature Screening and Mask Wearing Alert In the ongoing pandemic crisis innovative solutions like temperature screening thermographic cameras, temperature measurement walk-through detector and MinMoeface recognition terminal with temperature screening and mask wearing alert are helpful to manage large number of hospital staff visitors, patients and doctors. A complete hospital solution requires the synergy of a number of systems – video security, panic alarm, and access control systems to name a few. Hikvision offers advanced and comprehensive solutions that fluidly integrate all the moving parts, making setup and daily operations much easier for your unique conditions.  The solutions include following activities and requirements, reception to patient calling, Internal calling system, doctor monitoring, paging in clinic, 2nd generation IP video intercom solution, IP VDP intercom clinic kit and analog video intercom solution. Hikvision Healthcare security solution covers nurse station to patient areas and other critical parts of the hospital. Control room:Powerful and unified security management Ensure quick response to alarms with advanced alarm management function. Easily manage access control systems including assigning permissions, managing user groups, and more. Enjoy an intuitive dashboard showing the status of devices. Set up automatic health inspections and receive notifications of errors. Parking lots:Efficient vehicle access management Reduce labor costs with automatic vehicle entry by ANPR camera. Effectively manage vehicle flow and entry / exit records. Get comprehensive monitoring for the entire parking lot with clear video both day and night. Entrance monitoring: Clear monitoring at all time Capture sharp imaging at entrances even in high contrast conditions with WDR cameras. Use people counting technology to record numbers of visitors for capacity control and optimized security. Lobbies and nurse stations: Quick response to sudden events Detect and respond quickly to events such as a patient falling with intelligent cameras. Efficiently display hospital floor map or health-related public announcement with digital signage. Clearly record all work and interaction at reception or nurse stations. Pharmacies: All-around protection with multiple systems Strictly control access with face recognition terminals to ensure only authorized persons can enter. Log all entry and exit records. Monitor the indoor temperature and send alarm notifications if a temperature anomaly is found. Doctor’s offices: Compact cameras for routine monitoring Record the daily work for doctors in case of any medical arbitration is required. Monitor offices during off-hours to ensure the safety of all information such as patients’ clinical records or other medical information. Patient areas: Thoughtful and efficient care Provide patients with a panic button to call for help upon emergency. Communicate easily with audio intercom (public broadcasting also available). Corridors: Effective monitoring for all areas Allow full view of the corridor without losing any detail with the specially-designed corridor monitoring mode (3:4 frame ratio). Utilize intelligent cameras to monitor sudden events, enabling quick responses. These solutions are available in two categories of healthcare facilities– hospitalsolutions and clinic solutions. Key Advantages The key advantages includeproperty and personnel safety for all patients and staff, intelligent functions to help improve service and operations, effective, accurate access control for key areas like pharmacies and more and efficient and reliable device integration and management Hikvision healthcare security solution design for Hospitals and Clinic brings convenience, security and safety to the entire ecosystem.  

VIVOTEK, the global leading IP surveillance provider, has deployed its IP surveillance cameras in the residential project ‘New Borovaya,’ constructed by A-100 Development, one of the largest developers of residential and commercial real estate in Belarus. This deployment has been carried out by long-standing distributor DataStream DEP, and has successfully put into action the high-quality products and brand value of VIVOTEK. On land with a total area of more than 100 hectares, a whole district is being actively developed in line with the most modern European trends of improved urban living environments. Based on the principle of ‘smart’ and ‘social,’ the new Borovaya project is one of the most innovative and upscale developments in Minsk, the capital of Belarus. In order to ensure public safety and protect private property, A-100 Development pays special attention to the security of the huge residential complex. To meet the demanding requirements of the project, including high-quality imagery, reliable equipment from a global brand, excellent technical characteristics and optimal price, the distributor DataStream DEP had complete confidence in recommending VIVOTEK’s IP surveillance solutions. VIVOTEK’s IB8369A and IB8367A bullet-type network cameras were selected for video surveillance of streets, playgrounds and outdoor parking, while the FD8369A-V dome type cameras were chosen for the entrances of residential buildings. A single data transmission network has been built at the facility, which unites all cameras and provides easy-access to any camera. Commenced in 2014, development of the new Borovaya project will last for 10 years. In the first two quarters, solutions based on VIVOTEK IP surveillance cameras were implemented, the success of which has led developer A-100 Development to proudly place VIVOTEK solutions in its marketing materials and confidently declare the reliability of this brand during both operation and for further cooperation. VIVOTEK is honored to have this decade-long strategic partnership with A-100 Development and looks forward to providing its latest surveillance solutions again in the near future.  

Videonetics Intelligent VMS is now ONVIF Profile ‘T’ compliant. It supports video streaming features such as the use of H.264 and H.265 encoding formats, imaging settings, and alarm events such as motion and tampering detection. These encoding formats ensure high compression efficiency which results in less disk storage space and less bandwidth usage for streaming, reducing overall costs of system ownership. Moreover the new standard supports on-screen display, PTZ configuration, motion region configuration (analytics for a specific area of an image), digital inputs and relay outputs, and bidirectional audio for conformant devices. Videonetics Intelligent video management software is also compliant to ONVIF Profile S & G. On this achievement, Tuhin Bose, VP & CTO, Videonetics expressed, “Receiving ONVIF Profile T compliance is a benchmark for us. The new standard makes our Intelligent VMS future-ready to efficiently manage streaming of the most advanced HD and 4K cameras to keep the highest video surveillance standards. Videonetics is committed to continue adopting open standards for better interoperability and openness.” Videonetics Intelligent VMS is based on a unified, monolithic architectural framework integrated with intelligent video analytics applications. The underlying technology of the VMS is agnostic to any operating system (Windows, Linux, Unix, Mac OS etc.), database, browser interface etc., and follows the principle of true open architecture. Highly adaptable to customers’ existing workflow and diverse environments, the software is also extremely simple to use and investigation friendly. Hence, they do not need much training, and can interact with the system using a very intuitive interface with minimum number of clicks.  

Prama Hikvision recently conducted an exclusive Smart Technology Show in Mumbai to evangelize intelligent technologies and solutions with the demonstration of some of its latest as well as forthcoming innovations. Hikvision’s AI (artificial intelligence) applications driven by deep learning algorithms were demonstrated through various application scenarios related to face recognition, people tracking and perimeter security. Several emerging technologies (AI solutions) and advanced applications (traffic violations, VIP recognition, people counting, heat mapping and business intelligence) were showcased at the show highlighting Hikvision’s intelligent solutions and tech-leadership in the security industry. Ashish P. Dhakan, MD & CEO, Prama Hikvision India said, “Smart and intelligent trends are driving the Indian security industry into a new growth cycle, while promoting advanced security solutions through transformative technologies like AI, IoT, big data and video analytics. We are providing cutting edge technology solutions to our consumers to ensure a great end-user experience. Our ‘Make in India’ manufacturing facility is a remarkable milestone in our decade long journey and we are committed to expand our Make in India mission further by manifesting the maxim ‘Made in India, Made for India, Made by India.’” “Hikvision’s core technologies includes facial recognition, ANPR, false alarm reduction, color imaging 24/7, ultra low light imaging, 4K resolution, smooth streaming, thermal imaging, seamless image stitching, Power over Coax, Power over Ethernet, H.265 plus codec, direct streaming and alarm verification,” Mr. Dhakan added.   Intelligent security technologies Prama Hikvision is driving the future of surveillance in India with an intuitive integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into its cutting-edge products and solutions and setting new benchmarks in the security and surveillance industry. Prama Hikvision offers latest solutions in artificial intelligence (AI) technology, AI cloud, deep learning, which are leading the tech trends in the global scene and also redefining the Indian security market and creating new growth opportunities. The company also offers Machine Vision, Robotics and Factory Automation solutions to bolster the Industry 4.0 trends in the Indian manufacturing sector. The event also showcased the latest AI enabled cameras including DeepinView cameras and DeepinMind NVRs. These AI enabled solutions boast a bundle of intelligent features such as facial recognition, vehicle recognition, object detection, people counting, behaviour analysis, and much more. Smart security solutions The live demos of smart home (EZVIZ smart home products and solutions), video surveillance (DeepinView camera, DeepinMind NVR, Easy IP 4.0, ColorVu and AcuSense cameras), access control (face recognition terminals), perimeter security (security radar), and intrusion alarm (AXHub Hybrid) product categories were displayed during the show. In the special product category, walk-through metal detector, smart pole, interactive screen and transparent LED screen were displayed at the Prama Hikvision Smart Technology Show. ‘Make in India’ manufacturing facility visit The Smart Technology Show concluded with a tour of Prama Hikvision’s state-of-the-art ‘Make in India’ manufacturing facility in Vasai, near Mumbai. The facility is India’s first and largest integrated world-class security and surveillance products manufacturing facility – a milestone achieved by Prama Hikvisiion in the electronic security manufacturing sector. The facility was inaugurated in 2019 by Dr. V.K. Saraswat – Member, Niti Aayog, Former Director General of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), and Former Chief Scientific Advisor to the Indian Minister of Defence, and Dr Neeraj Sinha – Advisor, Science & Technology, Niti Aayog. The mammoth manufacturing facility, built at an investment commitment of INR500 crore, has a production capacity of 1.5 million cameras per month, and has been manufacturing a record number of products since its launch. The company is focused on building this facility and has plans underway to cater to the fast growing domestic demand in a phased manner. ‘Make in India’ manufacturing facility factsheet Employing over 2000+ skilled and semi-skilled employees, the brown-field facility is spread over 900,000 sq.ft., and comprises end-to-end production capabilities, which also supports an initial localization target of 50% with gradually transitioning to 100% localization. The facility is certified with ISO 9001:2015 (Quality Management System), ISO 14001:2015 (Environmental Safety Systems), and ISO 45001:2018 (Occupational Health & Safety Management System). The Prama Hikvision’s state-of-the-art manufacturing facility has the capability to manufacture over 850 product models out of total 3000 products. Mr. Dhakan, said, “This integrated state-of-the-art manufacturing facility is an expression of our full commitment to the Government of India’s flagship ‘Make in India’ program. We remain committed as a long-term partner of the country and continue to pursue our vision of ‘Make in India for a Safer India’ with manifold commitments. We have so far invested INR500 Cr. in this new plant with further investment commitments in the pipeline to ramp up productions, local R&D, skilling and giving back to the communities. This new unit has an installed capacity to make 1.5 million cameras per month. It has multiple lines that does surface mount technology level manufacturing and enables us to make electronic chips and cameras locally instead of importing them. To upskill a significant part of the workers in this factory, we have developed in-house training programs comprising world-class modules thus bringing them into the mainstream socio-economic fold.” “Prama Hikvision has embarked on a transformative journey with ‘Make in India’ mission, we are committed to serve the nation with India specific products and solutions to fulfil the local and vertical specific requirements,” concluded Mr. Dhakan.  

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 implementations on ground. This has been a consistent feature of his career. Here he writes about the National Lockdown imposed in wake of the pandemic caused by the Corona Virus and the challenges faced by the Private Security Industry. The Pandemic The private security industry (PSI), comprising over 23000 private security agencies (PSAs) employing nearly 9 million security personnel, is the single largest employment generator in India. These security personnel protect the personal, corporate and industrial assets 24×7 across entire geographical contours of the nation. Probably that explains the reason why the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) included security services as part of the essential services. The wild speed of the spread of Corona Virus and the obvious absence of any vaccine for their treatment has added to the fear and gloom. Lessons learnt from the Chinese experience of combating the fatal impact of COVID 19 forced India for a pre-emptive surgical action to go for a 21 day national lockdown from 24 March to 14 April 2020 bringing the entire economic activity to a grinding halt. The implications of such a measure had never been foreseen in the corridors of corporate and industry as a whole; hence, it got trapped unprepared into an unchartered territory and is possibly still grappling to find ways to navigate through it. The challenges Every industry has its own diverse yet specific peculiarities and so is the case with PSI. The footprints of the security services of a PSA could be global and hence has to face challenges at multiple geographical dimensions. However, restricting to the Indian context, the challenges for the PSI at ground zero are primarily on two fronts – ‘operational’ and ‘financial.’ Operational challenges broadly can be summed up as under: Panic amongst migratory population and their sudden move to return to native homes. Motivation of the security personnel to brace the pain of the lockdown. Fear of loss of jobs and salary on the minds of the security personnel due to the shutdown at client sites. Absence of public transport and restrictions on movement creating problem of commuting. Lack of personal protective equipment (PPE) at sites for the security personnel at front office or at main gate. Ban on the use of biometrics and issues of identification/ verification of identity. Absence of frisking and baggage screening due to the norm of social distancing. Non availability of temperature scanning devices in markets and at sites. Closure of street eateries, dhabas and hotels near the sites forcing provisioning of food and shelter at work site. Principal employer (PE) demanding colossal reduction in manpower deployed at site or face the termination of contract. Also out of the reduced manpower PE demanding conversion of 8 hrs duration of duty into 12 hrs. All new deployment and renewal of contracts put on hold. Blanket ban by MHA on lay off of employees. Financial challenges transformed mainly into the following: Non-compliance of PE to honor the directions of the MHA to pay salary to security personnel as per contractual T&C. The applicability of the relief measures announced by the MoF as regards to PF and ESI only to the PSAs with upto 100 employees which form only 2% of the total PSAs on record. Thus passing on benefits to only a fraction of PSI and leaving the 98% high and dry. The economic package unveiled for the industries did gross injustice to the PSI by not treating it at par with other segments in terms of 90 day moratorium for payment of PF, ESI and GST. The levy of penalty of interest of 9% on those availing the moratorium of GST is more of a counterproductive step. It was an opportune time to have applied the Reverse Charge Mechanism or GST should have been made payable on amount collected from PE. Holding of salary by the PE in some cases. Additional cost of provisioning of food and shelter at site. Conclusion At this juncture I must highlight that the entire basket of the security services are not feasible to be delivered remotely at client premises as physical security does not work in virtual domain like the IT, ITEs – BPOs and KPOs – where employees can afford to work from home (WFH). While one fully appreciates the genuine humanitarian approach of the Govt at this juncture which is citizen welfare centric, and which aims at mitigation of problems of poor, population below poverty (BPL) and women folk to avoid pain caused by the lockdown. One also applauds the govt approach to keep the financial system on track. But in direct relation to PSI, the PEs who constitute the corporate must be made to honor the directions of the MHA to prevent cascading adverse effects to PSI due to job losses from lockdown. Notwithstanding the above, while we continue to brace the challenges of lockdown and race continues to find the vaccine, I strongly feel that there is a need for ‘think tanks’ to apply their mind on the following aspects of security: Security implications of the national lockdown. Meaning & implications of remote working for security. Crime trends during lockdown and its implications for security. Evolution of new technologies and processes like use of drones, AI, robotics, machine learning and IoT to deliver security services remotely. Evolution of SOPs of BCP to combat such crisis in addition to plans of NDMA & NDRF. Review – is security delivering during this crisis? Rethink – the role of women in security; and where do we go from here.  

The unprecedented COVID 19 pandemic compelled the national lockdown which froze the entire spectrum of economic activities and also brought the social activities to standstill. More than two months of lockdown have played a major role in containing the spread of virus and is probably inching closure to the exit gate wherein barring the regions located in the Red Zones, the wheel of economic and social activity is expected to stumble back to partial normalcy in Green Zones and Orange Zones. Though the lockdown has been extended upto 31 May 2020, it has dawned on the policy makers and think-tanks that extending the lockdown for indefinite period will be disastrous as India does not have the requisite resilience to sustain the resultant economic shock. The fear of community spread of virus still looms large, and hence there is a caution, and graded approach to open up the economy. After having ‘Saved the Lives’ the phase of ‘Saving the Livelihood’ begins. Unlike other segments of the industry, the PSI has been very vibrant and quick to adopt itself to the challenges and the evolving environment which is prominently visible.   THE IMPACT The sudden crippling jolt of the national lockdown did not give reaction time for due diligence, planning and structured response. Some of the major fall outs of the COVID 19 lockdown can best be summarized as under: Restrictions on commuting brought the pivotal role of national command and control centre to the forefront for running the operations by the security providers. Fear of the termination of service contracts left security providers with no choice but to continue running the business with downsized man power at client sites. Representations from PSI were well received by the MHA, Finance and Labor Ministry in the matters of GST, PF and ESI. Deep cuts in revenue had to be taken by service providers with a pinch of salt due to complete freeze in business activity in Multi-Cineplexes, malls, hotels, resorts, education institutes and e-commerce ventures. Despite raising the bar to the highest pedestal of law & justice – the Supreme Court – the salary of the security guards as per pre COVID 19 contractual terms will have to be paid by the security providers. PE has brazenly refused to honor the contractual terms by invoking Force Majeure. CAPEX plans had to be frozen and laid to rest till the situation becomes normal and suitable for review. OPEX is likely to take additional knock on account of kitting with mask, gloves, thermal sensors etc. Gross deficit in cash-flow has surfaced as stark reality since business of clients came to standstill. Cost cutting turned to be most preferred word in the corridors of PSI. The concept of Work From Home (WFH) has got validated. Business travels were brought to naught, but the business did not come to grinding halt. Virtual video conferencing through ZOOM or other Apps facilitated frequent interface within the industry, management and with the clients. Social distancing became the norm through NAMASTE.   FUTURE ROAD MAP The lockdown period of COVID 19 has laid out the turf for many new concepts and work culture. Some of them which are likely to become part of the Best Global Safe Practices are illustrated below: Containment of CORONA virus will be the main focus of the law enforcing authorities, and law and order will take a back seat. Use of mask and gloves will be accepted as part of the attire. Thermal sensors and AI enabled mass thermal screening of employees will become standard practice. AI enabled face recognition technology is likely to replace the traditional access card and thumb, iris or finger print dominated biometrics for attendance at work places. The social distancing will take the center-stage and will necessitate the re-organization of the work place. Work in shifts, whereby 30% of the work force to work at any one time may be an established practice. Work on alternate days from office and home could be an option to avoid issues of parking space. Work from home or make your workplace your home, will become preferred option to avoid expenditure on electricity, air conditioning of offices and house keeping. Business travels will be cut to minimum to reinforce cost cutting. Tight control is likely to be exercised over all office expenditure. Frequent business meetings through ZOOM, SKYPE, WhatsApp will replace physical gathering. Business reviews will be either done online or through virtual meetings on above Apps. As a cost cutting measure, promotion and incentives will be done away with for the current year. Cost cutting may also transform into job losses due to lay offs. Source of revenue generation will become future thrust lines. To prevent loss prevention AI enabled search of baggage & personnel may become necessity. Incidents of theft and pilferage will increase at manufacturing plants and ware houses. Drones will be widely used for monitoring the crowding and non- compliance of the social distancing.   CONCLUSION The PSI unlike the other segments of the industry like manufacturing is not confined to one plant or premises but has footprints over diversified businesses. It enjoys the status of essential services and still has the avenues open for running the current business and its expansion. Thus PSI does not suffer from the full-fledged closure of their business activity. Taking the one time knock of loss to bear the burden of salary may be life time benchmark of loyalty bonus for the noble cause towards the humans who served the organization. Lockdown has presented many opportunities for refining of work culture, redefining the health & hygiene norms, adoption of new innovative technologies and business ethics. These are unprecedented difficult times. Sailing in the turbulent waters is not easy but an experienced and seasoned sailor will adjust his sails to brace the tornado/ storm and will arrive at the shores of his destination. Let’s see the positivity in this gloom, golden opportunity in the despair to chart our future roadmap and be the differentiators. Let…

Anil Puri, CMD APS Group A conspicuous spike in the number of fire incidents in Delhi-NCR over last two years sends a chill down the spine. It presents a very alarming and gloomy picture of unprecedented jump in unfortunate fatal fire instances in hotels, hospitals, furniture markets and factories. The memories of the gruesome tragedy of Uphar Cinema on 13 June 1997, and in recent time, the similar accident at Anaj Mandi in December 2019 tend to haunt the common man with unabated fires blazing in all segments of industry. The magnitude of the problem is just beyond the imagination. ROADMAP There are no straight jacket and quick fix solutions which can be offered on platter. The challenge has to be taken on war footing by the industry. Grant of no objection certificate (NoC) by the municipal authorities should be done with a professional approach and it should not be treated as a profit center. Similarly, industry should also not treat it as a cost center. Following measures, if implemented with sincerity and honesty, the purpose will well be accomplished by arresting the trend, and thus by saving the precious lives and properties: True compliance of National Building Code by builders. Grant of NoC only after honest inspections by multiple agencies including fire safety department Proper installation of adequate fire alarm, and fire detection and suppression systems. Inevitable installation of passive protective measures like fire curtains, fire walls and compartmentalizations. Periodic inspection, testing and maintenance (ITM) of all fire safety equipment installed in the buildings. Procurement of equipment to meet the requirements of fire departments of Delhi, Gurugram and Noida. Recruitment and staffing to meet the contingencies of fire departments of Delhi, Gurugram and Noida. Unfailed fire safety training of employees in industrial units across all segments. Regular and periodic fire safety awareness drive. Fire safety audits and surprise checks. Conduct of regular mock drills on building evacuation, operation of fire safety equipment and rescue operation. 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. Here he expresses his concern about the fire incidents occurring in different segments of industry in NCR in last two years and suggests the roadmap for fire incident free environment.