Dangerous cargo on fire-hit ship off Kerala coast
Kannur (Kerala), Jun 9 (PTI): The containers on the Singapore-flagged ship, which reported a fire on board off the Kerala coast contain dangerous cargo, including flammable solids, liquids and toxic substances, a top officer at Azhikkal Port said on Monday.
Of the 22 crew members on board the ship, MV Wan Hai 503, 18 have abandoned the vessel and are being rescued by Indian Navy and Coast Guard assets, a defence PRO said.
"Vessel is presently on fire and adrift," he said.
"The containers in the ship have dangerous cargo, including Class 3 (flammable liquids), Class 4.1 (flammable solids), Class 4.2 (spontaneously combustible substances) and Class 4.6 (toxic substances)," he said.
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As the nearest Coast Guard facilitation centre is Beypore in nearby Kozhikode district, it is expected that the rescued crew members of the vessel would be taken there, Captain Arun Kumar P K, port officer, Azhikkal Port, said.
As per the update received so far, none of the 22 crew members were Indians, and they are from countries like China, Indonesia, Thailand and so on.
Meanwhile, Beypore port officials said it is yet to be confirmed whether the crew members would be brought there.
Defence sources said the Indian Coast Guard ships Sachet, Arnvesh, Samudra Prahari, Abhinav, Rajdoot, and C-144 were involved in the ongoing rescue operation.
Officials had earlier said an explosion was reported from the ship, MV Wan Hai 503, but later clarified it was a fire.
The underdeck fire was first intimated at around 10.30 am by the Maritime Operations Centre in Mumbai to their counterparts in Kochi.
The 270-metre-long vessel was en route to Mumbai.
In response, the Indian Navy diverted INS Surat, which had been scheduled to dock in Kochi, to provide immediate assistance.
The Western Naval Command redirected the vessel at 11 am, the PRO added.
A Navy Dornier aircraft sortie is also being planned from the naval air station INS Garuda in Kochi to assess the situation and coordinate support.
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Delhi to adopt fully digital system for time bound traffic challan disposal
New Delhi (PTI): The Delhi government will soon implement amended Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, making the traffic challan process completely digital and time-bound, to curb violations and enhance road safety, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said on Sunday.
Under the new framework, avoiding challans will no longer be possible and timely resolution will be mandatory for all citizens. Importantly, violators will not be able to approach courts directly to contest a challan without first going through the prescribed process, said a Delhi CMO statement.
Anyone committing five or more traffic violations within a year will be classified as a "serious offender" and will risk suspension or disqualification of their driving licence under the amended rules, it said.
Gupta noted that the issuance of challans will now be fully modernised.
Police or authorised officers can issue challans either physically or electronically. In addition, violations captured through cameras and digital surveillance systems will automatically generate challans. The e-challans will be delivered within three days to the violators through their mobile numbers, and a physical notice will be delivered within 15 days.
Once a challan is issued, the violator will have 45 days to either pay the fine or challenge it before a grievance redressal officer through the online portal, supported by documentary evidence. If no action is taken within this period, the challan will be deemed accepted, and payment must be made within the next 30 days, the statement said.
If a challenge is rejected, the individual can either pay the fine within 30 days or approach the court after depositing 50 per cent of the challan amount.
Failure to act within the stipulated time will result in the challan being treated as accepted, with payment required within 15 days thereafter.
Payments can be made through electronic modes. The grievance redressal officer will be required to upload a decision on the portal within 30 days, it said.
The chief minister made it clear that once deadlines lapse, daily electronic notices will be issued. Continued non-payment will lead to restrictions on all vehicle-related services, including payment of taxes and processing of driving licence or registration-related requests.
The vehicle will be flagged on the official portal as 'not to be transacted,' effectively blocking any further transactions until the dues are cleared. In cases where necessary, and subject to court orders, police or authorised officers may also impound vehicles involved in violations.
All challans will be issued in the name of the registered vehicle owner, who will be notified via SMS, email or other digital means, it added.
