Army experts comb cargo plane crash site in Greece; 8 dead
Palaiochori, Jul 17: Experts investigating the site of a cargo plane crash in northern Greece said Sunday they have found no evidence of dangerous substances but say there is still a lot of widespread ordnance, while Serbia's defense minister confirmed that all eight crew members had died in the crash.
The An-12 cargo plane from Serbia flown by a Ukrainian aviation crew smashed into fields between two Greek villages late Saturday. Its fuselage dragged on the ground for 170 meters (nearly 190 yards) before it disintegrated, authorities said. Locals reported seeing a fireball and hearing explosions for two hours after the crash.
Serbian Defence Minister Nebojsa Stefanovic told a news conference Sunday that the plane was carrying 11.5 tons of Serbian-made mortar ammunition to Bangladesh, which was the buyer. It had taken off from the Serbian city of Nis and had been due to make a stopover in Amman, Jordan.
The Greek Army's Special Joint Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Defense Unit cleared two paths Sunday for forensics experts to move in before leaving. The new team was on the site Sunday afternoon collecting body parts. They have so far identified six of the eight crew members and aim to collect their evidence by sunset, authorities say.
Explosives disposal experts have also started working on the site, although it looks like they will have to resume their work at dawn Monday, local authorities said. It is only when their work is done that Civil Aviation Authority experts will try to retrieve the plane's black box.
The fire service and police have created an extended security perimeter because of the widespread ordnance. Residents have been allowed to leave their homes since early Sunday, but have been told that their fields may not be safe to work in because of the likely presence of explosives. Nearby dirt roads have been closed to vehicles.
A plume of white smoke was still rising from the front end of the plane on Sunday morning.
The plane was operated by Ukrainian cargo carrier Meridian. The Ukrainian consul in Thessaloniki, who arrived at the crash site, told local officials that the crew were all Ukrainian.
These were illuminating mortar mines and training (mines). ... This flight had all necessary permissions in accordance with international regulations, Stefanovic said.
The plane crashed shortly before 11 p.m. about 40 kilometers (25 miles) west of Kavala International Airport. Minutes before, the pilot had told air traffic controllers he had a problem with one engine and he had to make an emergency landing. He was directed to Kavala Airport but never made it there.
The plane is a Soviet-era four-engine turboprop cargo carrier.
Drone footage shows that small fragments are all that is left of the plane. Firefighters who rushed to the scene Saturday night were prevented from reaching the crash site by smoke and an intense smell that they feared might be toxic.
Nearby residents were told to keep their windows shut all night, not to leave their homes and to wear masks.
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Karnataka Minister directs officials to expedite integration of 28 services in various depts
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Minister for Large and Medium Industries M B Patil on Thursday directed officials to expedite the integration of the remaining 28 services in various departments under the SWS.
The direction was issued at a review meeting on EoDB and Single Window Committees held at Vidhana Soudha, attended by senior officials from various departments.
In a statement, Patil said, "We face intense competition from neighbouring states. We have studied their policies and regulations and are determined to establish a system that is even more efficient and industry-friendly," he said.
Under the Single Window System, 115 services across 20 departments have already been integrated, the minister said, adding the remaining 28 services have been prioritised for time-bound implementation.
Patil said Revenue, Forest, Home, Environment, Primary Education, Fire Services and Energy departments are among the services.
According to the minister, the goal is to ensure that investors do not lose valuable time and are encouraged to invest in Karnataka.
He sought cooperation of all the government departments to make it happen.
Referring to emerging challenges, he said Karnataka has long been a frontrunner in the IT sector but the rapid rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has introduced new uncertainties.
He stressed that all departments, including KIADB, must ensure swift approvals for industrial projects.
Patil underlined that entrepreneurs should not be subjected to "unnecessary delays," he said, adding that clearances for electricity connections, Fire Department NOCs and Pollution Control Board approvals must be issued promptly.
Detailing the reforms, the minister said the time limit for Fire Department NOCs has been reduced from 60 days to 21 days, while electricity connection approvals have been cut from 25 days to 10 days. Permission for lift and escalator operations has been brought down from 40 days to 20 days, and new water connection approvals from 42 days to 30 days, he said.
The Labour Department will now issue industrial licences and boiler registrations within 14 days instead of 30 days, he said, noting that necessary notifications have already been issued.
"These amendments will soon be placed before the Cabinet and formalised through legislation on a fast-track basis," Patil said.
He further stated that timelines at the State Pollution Control Board have been significantly reduced.
Change-of-land-use permission within Bengaluru city limits, which earlier took up to 120 days, will now be granted within 45 days.
With 32 data centres currently operating in the state, Patil underscored the importance of uninterrupted power supply and called for the development of dedicated data centre clusters with exclusive power lines.
A ministerial-level meeting will soon be convened to identify suitable locations and ensure essential infrastructure, including power connectivity, he said.
