Airport passes with 'distorted' map of India withdrawn
New Delhi, Jan 6: All passes issued to employees and visitors of airports across the country have been withdrawn by the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) after it was found that a "distorted" map of India was printed on them, officials said.
Map images of Jammu and Kashmir, the Northeastern region, Rajasthan and Gujarat were wrongly depicted in the passes issued at all Airports Authority of India operated airports and six Adani group-run airports -- Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Lucknow, Thiruvananthapuram, Guwahati and Mangaluru.
After it was found that the images were "distorted", the BCAS has withdrawn the passes, an official privy to the development said.
In a communication to the chairman of the Airports Authority of India (AAI), the BCAS said the embedded hologram roll being used is not according to the sample hologram approved by the BCAS.
"Keeping in view the seriousness of the issue, it is hereby directed that all Aerodrome Entry Permits (AEPs) issued with holograms shall be withdrawn and further printing with these hologram roll shall be stopped with immediate effect," the letter said.
The BCAS also conveyed that the AAI will conduct an inquiry in the matter, find out at which level the lapses occurred, who is responsible for procuring these hologram rolls and take appropriate action against the responsible officers.
The AAI has been directed to submit an action taken report on the issue to the BCAS at the earliest, it said.
A person, who is not a passenger with a valid ticket, requires an AEP that is issued by the airport.
The AEP application form, which is issued by the BCAS, mentions 13 zones that a person can enter. The permitted areas include the arrival halls, the departure halls, the terminal building, the apron area, the security hold area, cargo terminal among others.
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Shakib Al Hasan banned from bowling in ECB-run competitions for "illegal bowling action": Report
London, Dec 13: Star Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan has been banned from bowling in all competitions organised by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) after his action was deemed illegal during independent testing, according to a report.
The 37-year-old, who has retired from Tests and T20Is, was reported for his bowling action by on-field umpires Steve O'Shaughnessy and David Millns during a one-off appearance for Surrey in the County Championship in September.
Following this, an independent test at Loughborough University earlier this month confirmed his action was illegal, and he will need to undergo a reassessment to lift the suspension, the report said.
For the reassessment, Shakib’s elbow extension must be below the 15-degree threshold set by the regulations.
"The suspension is officially dated from December 10, the date when the ECB received the results of the assessment from Loughborough University," according to the ESPNcricinfo report.
Shakib had a standout performance in that match against Somerset in September, taking nine wickets for Surrey in Taunton. This was his first County Championship appearance since a brief stint with Worcestershire in 2010-11.
Shakib has not played any international cricket since deciding not to return to Bangladesh for what would have been his farewell Test against South Africa in Mirpur, following protests in Dhaka.
Shakib, who has scored 4609 runs and taken 246 wickets in 71 Tests, 7570 runs and 317 scalps in 247 ODIs, and another 2551 runs and 149 wickets in 129 T20Is for Bangladesh, has not returned to his home country since the ousting of the Awami League government. He is currently based in the USA with his family.
