Latest news with #Jagannathan
Time of India
12-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Govt gives 48-hour ultimatum to MSC Shipmanagement to begin oil extraction from MSC ELSA 3
MUMBAI: The government has given a 48-hour ultimatum to MSC Shipmanagement Ltd to start work on extraction of oil from the sunken ship MSC ELSA 3 off the coast of Kerala or face legal consequences for 'continued inaction and delay representing not only negligence but also a violation of statutory obligations' in the backdrop of imminent environmental and economic threat posed to the Indian coastline and its coastal communities. The oil extraction work was slated to start around June 5 but has not even begun, the Director General of Shipping, Shyam Jagannathan, wrote in a June 11 notice issued to MSC Shipmanagement, the Cyprus-based ship management unit of Mediterranean Shipping Company, S.A., the world's biggest container shipping line and the operator of MSC ELSA 3. Voicing increasing concern on the progress made in salvage and emergency response operations of the sunken container ship, the D G Shipping said that it was 'grossly inadequate and continues to fall short of the timelines and operational commitments previously provided by the salvors (T&T Salvage) and the owner of the ship'. Despite repeated instructions and coordination meetings, the response from the salvors has been 'consistently delayed and insufficient', the country's maritime regulator said. 'The lack of prompt action has resulted in a continued and serious risk to the marine environment and coastline of India, particularly affecting the coastal regions of Kerala. The region's local communities, which heavily rely on fishing for their livelihoods, have already suffered extensive loss of work and income due to the prolonged presence of the sunken vessel, floating debris, oil sheen, and ongoing pollution risk,' Jagannathan wrote in the notice. The ship was carrying 367.1 metric tonnes of very low sulphur fuel oil and 84.4 metric tonnes of diesel in its tanks when it capsized and sank on May 25. Recalling that salvors were clearly advised to mobilise necessary assets required for diving and oil recovery operations as early as the first day of the incident, the D G Shipping noted that the Diving Support Vessel (DSV) and necessary diving assets were not mobilised until after May 30. 'This initial delay set back the entire timeline for the operation. Even the tug assets hired by the owners arrived on scene only after June 1, with no prior deployment initiated by the salvors,' he told MSC Shipmanagement. While it was abundantly clear considering the depth of the water (51 meters) that saturation diving was required for the extraction of oil from the vessel, the salvors have, to date, been able to conduct only limited air diving operations, which are inadequate for the extraction of oil from the tanks of the sunken vessel. 'The timeline provided for these operations has been grossly violated. Capping of vents, which was scheduled for completion earlier this month, is still being conducted at present. The extraction of oil, originally scheduled to commence around June 5, 2025, has not even begun as of this date,' Jagannathan pointed out. The delay, Jagannathan wrote, is 'even more unacceptable' considering that the western coast of India, including Kerala, is entering its monsoon season - a period during which offshore salvage operations become highly unsafe or entirely unfeasible due to harsh weather conditions. 'The salvage operation was provided a short weather window to conduct these critical activities, and that window has now largely been lost as a direct consequence of the salvors' failure to timely deploy assets and personnel,' he said. The salvors had committed to arrange expert saturation divers and a team for the specialised equipment from 11 countries. The Directorate General of Shipping (DGS), to assist the salvors, had written directly to the Indian Embassies and High Commissions in these countries to expedite visa clearances. 'Yet, it has come to light that several visa applications were not even filed by the salvors, resulting in continued non-availability of the saturation divers even at this stage,' the D G Shipping stated. 'This consistent inaction and delay represent not only negligence but also a violation of statutory obligations. Should the extraction of oil not commence within the next 48 hours, the government of India shall be left with no alternative but examine all avenues against the shipowners and salvors under applicable Indian legislation for the continuing threat posed to Indian waters and the coastal environment,' the D G Shipping told MSC Shipmanagement. 'Your actions (or lack thereof) may attract prosecution and penalties under the Merchant Shipping Act, 1958; Environment (Protection) Act 1986; Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023; Disaster Management Act, 2005, and any other applicable provisions under Indian maritime safety, environmental protection, and disaster management laws,' Jagannathan wrote in the notice. 'Any further delay beyond the specified period will be treated as wilful and deliberate noncompliance, and the government shall proceed to exercise its full legal rights and remedies without further reference,' he added.
New Indian Express
29-05-2025
- General
- New Indian Express
Technical failure in ballast management system led to failure of sunk ship: Shipping regulator
KOCHI: Dismissing the sabotage theory behind the capsize of container vessel MSC Elsa 3, the Director General (DG) of Shipping Shyam Jagannathan on Wednesday said the ship sank due to the failure of its ballast management system, which ensures the vessel's stability. The containers that fell off the ship when it sank off Kochi coast on Sunday and were floating in the Arabian Sea would be retrieved in 48 hours, Jagannathan said, adding that environmental damage was minimal. 'The oil spill is limited and the Coast Guard is cleaning it. The oil in the ship bunker will be removed by July 3,' he said. 'Our primary inference is that the vessel sank due to mechanical failure of the ballast management system. Safety and environmental requirements of the ships are governed by norms set by International Maritime Organisation (IMO) and this vessel complied with international norms. We have no evidence of other reasons. Failure of the ballast system may be due to lack of operational understanding. When the vessel listed to 26 degrees, there was a complete blackout due to failure of internal power generation. This virtually incapacitated all operations of the ship,' said chief surveyor of Union government Ajith Sukumaran. About the cargo, Jagannathan said there were 13 containers carrying hazardous cargo of which 12 had calcium carbide, while one had rubber chemical antioxidants.
New Indian Express
21-05-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Periyar varsity's former V-C hands over charge, sparks new row
COIMBATORE: Controversy erupted at the Periyar University in Salem after outgoing Vice-Chancellor R Jagannathan handed over charge to Dr T Periasamy, head of the Tamil department, without consulting the university's syndicate committee. Jagannathan, whose term ended on Monday, is facing multiple allegations and ongoing investigations. In light of this, his decision to appoint Dr Periasamy as interim V-C, flouting protocol, has drawn sharp criticism from the academic community. 'A retiring V-C is expected to convene a syndicate meeting and form a panel to shortlist candidates for the position. But Jagannathan did not consult anyone,' said a senior professor from the university, on the condition of anonymity. Dr T Periasamy's appointment has raised eyebrows also due to the controversies surrounding him. Periasamy is reportedly associated with RSS groups, and is currently under investigation by the DVAC. A case against him is also pending in the Madras High Court. 'This is a clear violation of university norms and democratic processes. Appointing someone who is under a cloud undermines the credibility of the institution,' said another professor.
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Business Standard
08-05-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
Sonata Software sees Q4 revenue hit as top client pushes AI automation
Sonata Software, a mid-tier IT services provider, said revenue decline from its top client was worse than anticipated during the fourth quarter of FY25, as the client looked to automate a significant portion of the business it previously outsourced. This shift has created considerable uncertainty, with Sonata unsure whether the client will automate further portions of its outsourced business—potentially impacting future revenue and growth prospects. Sonata's disclosure marks the first time an Indian IT services firm has publicly flagged revenue loss directly attributable to a client's automation strategy. The development poses broader implications for small and mid-sized firms that often rely heavily on a handful of customers for a large share of their income. 'Our top client is a leader in AI and wants to leverage it to bring down its cost by 30 per cent,' said Jagannathan Chakravarthi, chief financial officer, Sonata Software, in an interview with Business Standard. 'In the third quarter, they ramped down a division of their services, which not only impacted revenue but also headcount, as we had social security obligations and termination clauses. For the fourth quarter, we anticipated a decline—but it turned out to be steeper.' While Jagannathan declined to name the client, he said the account contributed about 20–25 per cent to Sonata's international IT services business. Industry sources identified the client as Microsoft. In the fourth quarter ended 31 March, Sonata's international IT services business reported revenue of Rs 2,829 crore, with Microsoft contributing over Rs 700 crore. Revenue from the international IT services segment fell 4 per cent sequentially in Q4 to Rs 702 crore, versus an earlier estimate of a 3.5 per cent decline. Sonata's domestic business—which contributes around 70 per cent of the company's total revenue—is largely focused on product licence reselling. Its IT services business, including outsourced engineering services, accounts for the remainder. Microsoft, under CEO Satya Nadella, has significantly expanded its AI capabilities with large-scale investments. It is expected that the company would automate outsourced workstreams to reduce costs. For smaller IT vendors, this implies doing more with fewer resources—a challenging proposition given their thin margins. 'They are assessing how much AI can replace the services we offer. Instead of us putting 50 people at their service, they are asking us to do it with 15,' Jagannathan said. Jagannathan admitted there is uncertainty around whether the revenue contribution from the top client will remain stable or decline further. 'Uncertainties are very high, and the impact may be immediate and visible. We will be able to manage this over time with an agile response and a focus on new-age technologies.'
Time of India
07-05-2025
- Time of India
Man gets 107 years of rigorous imprisonment for sexually assaulting minor boy
Kasaragod: A fast track special court in Kasaragod sentenced a 41-year-old man to 107 years of rigorous imprisonment on Wednesday for sexually assaulting a 10-year-old boy. Special court judge Ramu Ramesh Chandra Bhanu found Jagannathan, a native of Kudlu village in Kasaragod district, guilty of repeatedly sexually assaulting the boy under sections of the and IPC. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The court sentenced the accused to 40 years of rigorous imprisonment for aggravated penetrative sexual assault and an additional 40 years for repeated aggravated penetrative sexual assault on a minor child under sections of the Pocso Act. The court also sentenced him to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment for unnatural sexual assault under sections of the IPC. Another 10 years was imposed on the convict for trafficking a minor child, while the court sentenced him to seven years of rigorous imprisonment for exploiting a trafficked person. As the sentences will run concurrently, the convict must serve a total of 40 years in prison. The court imposed a fine of Rs 4.5 lakh on Jagannathan. If the fine is not paid, he will have to serve an additional 18 months of rigorous imprisonment. Jagannathan, a coconut plucker, was known to the survivor's parents and relatives. According to the prosecution, the accused misused his relationship with the boy's parents to exploit the minor between Aug and Sept in 2020. The crime came to light when the boy's younger sister noticed him using abusive words taught by the convict. She shared this with her mother, leading her to observe him and conduct counselling for him. Later, the boy revealed his ordeal to the childline counsellors. Based on a formal complaint, Kasaragod town police investigated the case. Special public prosecutor advocate AK Priya appeared for the prosecution.
