Latest news with #ASR
Time of India
5 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Expansion project shelved; govt seeks back Rs 100cr grant
Surat: The civil aviation department of Gujarat has directed the Surat collector's office to return Rs 100 crore, which was deposited as compensation for the acquisition of land for the airport expansion, a project that was suddenly suspended two years after being approved. The project envisaged an important CAT-1 approach lighting system to enhance visibility for pilots during landing in poor visibility conditions like fog, airport surveillance radar (ASR), and Monopulse Secondary Surveillance Radar (MSSR). ASR is used for primary surveillance in the airport, airspace, and terminal area, while MSSR is an advanced radar that uses transponders on aircraft to provide exact position and identification information. The grant was assigned to a special land acquisition office in Surat to compensate owners of 20.33 acres of private land. Sources said that the Director of the Civil Aviation Department wrote a letter on June 16 requesting the return of the grant. Sources said the grant was immediately transferred back to the account provided by the civil aviation department. The Gujarat govt allocated Rs 215 crore for the project, which included installing a CAT-1 approach lighting system at the Surat airport on 20.33 acres of land. An additional five acres were to be acquired for ASR and MSSR. The project, which was deliberated for over 10 years, was finalised after an MOU was signed between the Airport Authority of India (AAI) and the civil aviation department in December 2023. Moving swiftly, a special land acquisition officer was appointed under the supervision of the collector. The office received a first instalment of Rs 100 crore to acquire land from 20 private landowners in Magdalla village. "A grant of Rs 100 crore was allotted to your office for 20.33-acre land acquisition for the Surat Airport Expansion project following a proposal on the 'Gatishakti portal'. However, as AAI has written to the Surat collector on June 2 that it does not require the land as of now, and as AAI has asked to suspend land acquisition until further orders from AAI headquarters, it seems that there is no need for land now. So, it is requested that the grant allotted to you for compensation for land acquisition should be returned to our office," the letter from the civil aviation department read. The suspension of this expansion project has been criticised by Surat's aviation groups, who have cited safety concerns as runway 22 operated with a 615-metre displacement. The CAT-1 approach light was proposed on this side of the runway only.
CBS News
23-06-2025
- Business
- CBS News
Historic Domino sugary refinery in Yonkers to close at year's end. Here's what it could mean for the community.
The historic Domino sugar refinery in Yonkers will close this year, after more than a century in operation. The move has many concerned about the impact to workers and the community. 300 jobs will be lost when Domino sugar refinery closes For the last 25 years, the massive refinery on the Hudson River has been owned by Domino, but it has been turning raw cane into sugar products since at least 1900. A spoonful of sugar won't make the decision to close the plant any more palatable. When it shuts down at the end of the year, it will mean the end of 300 jobs. "Shocked and appalled," eight-year employee Tyrone Antrum said of the decision to close. "Every year we heard rumors of it shutting down, just never thought it would happen. ASR, the corporate owner, says it's part of an "optimization plan" that will shift operations to Buffalo and elsewhere in the Northeast. "It's gonna be a great loss for the community" Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano calls the decision bittersweet. "The fact that they've been there so long is something we've been proud of," Spano said. The plant drives millions in regional economic activity. Domino partners with local nonprofits and employees volunteer many hours at nearby YMCA Community Garden and elsewhere. It was just a few years ago that Domino invested in signage and facade improvements at the refinery, and the general manager said the company looked forward to being in Yonkers "for generations to come." "It's gonna be a great loss for the community due to the fact that they create jobs in the community and they not only help us at the YMCA Community Garden they also help everyone else with an organization. It's gonna be a great loss for all of us,' said the YMCA Community Garden's Lucy Moreno-Casanova. Refinery sits on valuable property, Spano says The plant will likely be torn down. The waterfront property adjacent to Metro-North's Hudson line that it sits on will have developers circling. "Twenty-four acres that it sits on are probably the most valuable property between here and Albany," Spano said. The city and state say they'll work with the company to assist workers facing the sour prospect of unemployment. "Whatever it takes -- I got a family to support, so I'm out here looking already," Antrum said.
New Indian Express
21-06-2025
- Science
- New Indian Express
25,000 tribal students from ASR district create record by performing 108 Surya Namaskars
VISAKHAPATNAM: In a historic achievement, around 25,000 tribal students from Alluri Sitharama Raju (ASR) district performed 108 Surya Namaskars in 108 minutes at the Andhra University Engineering College grounds in Visakhapatnam on Friday. Organised as part of the Yogandhra celebrations ahead of International Yoga Day on June 21, the event was monitored by trained yoga instructors and government officials and aimed at setting a Guinness World Record. Out of 26,395 students registered from 106 schools in the Paderu division, 25,000 took part in the record-breaking mass performance. Addressing the gathering, IT and Education Minister Nara Lokesh hailed the event as a proud moment for India and announced that the State is preparing for another record on June 21, with over five lakh people expected to participate in yoga celebrations along the Visakhapatnam coast. He dedicated the achievement to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, noting it was his second visit to the State this year.
Hans India
21-06-2025
- General
- Hans India
25,000 tribal students perform Surya Namaskaram
Visakhapatnam: IT and Education Minister Nara Lokesh announced that the State government has already decided to organise yoga once a week in all schools after June 21 and will implement it. Speaking on the occasion of 25,000 students performing Surya Namaskaram at the Andhra University Engineering College Grounds on Friday to achieve a record, Lokesh said that it's one of the proud moments. Lokesh mentioned that the entire country and world is looking towards Visakhapatnam which is hosting the record-breaking event in the world of history. As many as 25,000 tribal students of Alluri Sitarama Raju district performed Surya Namaskaram in 15 minutes, creating a Guinness World Record. The Minister stated that he was surprised to see the commitment and perseverance of the tribal students. Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to give him an opportunity to organise International Yoga Day in Visakhapatnam so that it would be done in a historical manner, the Minister said. Lokesh informed that 5 lakh people would participate in 'Yogandhra-2025' and create a Guinness World Record. 'Yoga is not just about Asanas but is a way of life. It teaches discipline to all of us. When I was of your age, Nara Chandrababu Naidu used to do yoga with me,' the Education Minister recalled, addressing the students. Further, he congratulated ASR District Collector Dinesh Kumar for making the students practice yoga meticulously for the past one year. 'The Prime Minister loves Andhra Pradesh and Visakhapatnam very much. He is coming to the city for the second time in a year. Achieving Guinness Book of World Records through largest participation in yoga is a gift to be presented to the Prime Minister,' Lokesh said. Speaking on the occasion, Union Minister of State for Ayush Prataprao Ganpatrao Jadhav mentioned that tribal students who grew up in the forests of Andhra Pradesh have created a record with great effort and coordination. He said that if children in urban areas were asked to do 10 Surya Namaskar for 10 minutes, 9 of them would fail. He attributed the lack of physical exercise, eating habits and mobile addiction to this. He hoped that these students would set more records in future. Among others Tribal Affairs Minister Gummadi Sandhya Rani, Health Minister Satya Kumar Yadav and MP CM Ramesh participated.
New Indian Express
20-06-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Three Maoists killed in police encounter in ASR district, families await bodies
VISAKHAPATNAM / RAJAMAHENDRAVARAM: Three Maoists were killed in an exchange of fire with police in the Kintukuru forest area under Rampachodavaram Police Station limits in Alluri Sitharama Raju (ASR) district on Wednesday. ASR SP Amit Bardar, addressing a press meet in Vizag, stated that the operation was launched based on credible intelligence about the movement of CPI (Maoist) cadres. Around 7 am on June 18, during a combing operation by the district police, Maoists opened fire on the personnel. The police retaliated in self-defence, resulting in the death of three Maoists—two women and one man. The deceased were Gajarla Ravi alias Uday alias Ganesh, a Central Committee Member (CCM) of CPI (Maoist), who had over 150 criminal cases and carried a reward of Rs 25 lakh; Venkata Ravi Chaithanya alias Aruna alias Ruppi, a Special Zonal Committee Member (SZCM) with over 150 cases and a reward of Rs 20 lakh; and Anju alias Mase (PM), with 22 cases and a Rs 1 lakh reward. The SP said the three had escaped earlier encounters and were involved in major attacks, including Araku MLA murders and blasts. Police recovered AK-47 rifles, ammunition, kit bags, cash, Maoist literature, and clothing. A case was registered. Relatives seek hand over of Maoists' bodies Relatives of the slain Maoists gathered at Rampachodavaram Government Hospital on Thursday to claim the bodies, which were brought under tight security the previous night. DSP said, 'Bodies will be handed over after legal formalities.' As of 5 pm, post-mortem and identification were pending. Gajarla Ganesh's brother said, 'We last saw him in 2004. Police haven't cooperated or let us see the body.' Aruna's father and sister wept, while Anju's family was expected by Thursday 10 pm.
