Latest news with #SupervisoryControlandDataAcquisition
The Hindu
2 days ago
- General
- The Hindu
VMC Commissioner moots odour control units near sewage treatment plants
The Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) Commissioner H.M. Dhyanachandra has proposed odour control units in order to prevent unpleasant odour from sewage treatment plants. As part of his field visit on July 10, Thursday, the Commissioner inspected the Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) at Ramalingeswara Nagar in the city and instructed officials to submit a report on the current odour levels at the plant and to compare it with the levels after the installation of the odour control units. He said he would verify the effectiveness of the units after installation. The Commissioner directed the officials to install the same odour control units in sewage treatment plants across Vijayawada and also asked them to ensure proper maintenance and safety measures. He also suggested integrating a SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) System with alarms and sensors to detect any malfunctions or failures in the units. Awareness The Commissioner felt students should be taken to sewage treatment units to raise awareness about the functioning of these units. Each unit must have a signage board explaining its engineering functions in detail, so that students can learn the technical aspects involved, he said. Officials present during the visit were Chief Engineer R. Srinath Reddy, Chief Medical and Health Officer K. Arjun Rao, Chief City Planner Sanjay Ratnakumar, Zonal Commissioner K. Shammi, Supervising Engineers P. Satyanarayana and P. Satyakumari, Project Officer (UCD) P. Venkatanarayana, and other staff members.
The Hindu
01-07-2025
- Climate
- The Hindu
SCADA project to automate Chennai reservoirs operation makes slow progress; WRD aims to complete by Northeast monsoon
The project to automate the operation of the city reservoirs and develop decision support for water management has slowed down, as the Water Resources Department awaits the release of the National Disaster Mitigation Fund. Though the project was chalked out a year ago, it has not made significant progress in terms of instrumentation installation. However, the department is confident of completing the work by the onset of the Northeast monsoon, which brings in a major share of annual rainfall to Chennai. The opening of the floodgates of reservoirs, including Chembarambakkam and Red Hills, renews concerns on impending inundation in the downstream areas during every Northeast monsoon. In a key effort to reduce flooding, increase response time, and enable transparency in sharing reservoirs' storage data, the department will introduce the Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) based integrated reservoir automation system. Officials said work is in progress, however at a slow pace, for automated flood control and real-time monitoring of the storage. The project aimed at fixing automatic water level recorders, flow sensors, and gate sensors to automate shutters operation, manage water discharge during peak inflow, and reduce flood risk in low level areas. The department is constructing an integrated command control centre at Chepauk and connected with sub-control centres in Red Hills, Poondi and Chembarambakkam reservoirs. When the SCADA based system is in place, reservoirs' shutters can be operated remotely from Chepauk and analyse inflows and changes in water levels to control flood discharge. The integrated command centre would have graphical representations of the reservoirs' network-inflow rate from various points, outflow level, position of sluice gates and storage. Various real-time data would be analysed to assess the exact time required for the reservoirs to fill up and need to store or release water. The decision support system would also allow real-time sharing of information with other institutions and government agencies and enhance flood management. The Rs. 32 crore project will help accurately predict reservoir capacity and optimise water resource management during summer months, officials said. A 'Near line disaster recovery centre' is also being established in Alandur that would function as a backup location for critical data recovery and operation during extreme weather events. On the delay in project, officials said efforts are being taken to implement the project by this upcoming monsoon.
Time of India
24-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Valve installation completed for 24x7 water supply pilot project in Trichy
Trichy: Trichy Corporation has completed the installation of major valves as part of its 24x7 drinking water distribution pilot project. These valves will help ensure uniform water pressure and equitable supply to around 14,819 domestic and commercial connections in the selected wards. Under the District Metering Area (DMA) system, already implemented, water connections have been divided into zones to facilitate continuous supply. This zonal classification is designed to eliminate disparities, such as low pressure in high-elevation areas, that are common under the conventional supply system, which typically provides water for only 3–4 hours a day. The pilot project aims to deliver round-the-clock access to drinking water, regardless of location. It also introduces a shift from slab-based billing to consumption-based charges, encouraging more responsible water usage. You Can Also Check: Trichy AQI | Weather in Trichy | Bank Holidays in Trichy | Public Holidays in Trichy Valve installation has been completed in the Palayam Bazaar area, with commercial hubs in Thillai Nagar, including hotels and hospitals, set to be covered under the scheme. "Reducing non-revenue water loss and promoting judicious usage are key objectives of the project. A test run may be conducted soon, as most of the pipeline and valve work is complete," said an official source. The estimated daily water requirement for the pilot is 19.5 million litres (MLD). Water flow and usage will be monitored through the Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system at the Integrated Command Control Centre (ICCC) in the Corporation's main office.
Business Mayor
16-05-2025
- Business
- Business Mayor
Poland uses public sector demand to fuel cybersecurity startup innovation
When we talk about digital governments partnering with the private sector, the likes of Amazon, Microsoft and Google – Big Tech companies – are usually the focus. However, during a recent conversation with this writer, the Ambassador of Poland to Singapore, H.E. Tadeusz Chomicki, offers a different and perhaps more vital perspective on nurturing the startup ecosystem for a more resilient digital government in Europe. 'As they [startups] may not be bounded by big money that is already invested in certain solutions, they can have a fresh approach and look into niches that are skipped by big corporations just because these niches don't make as much money,' he says to GovInsider. His insights underline why creating a supportive ecosystem for smaller players is paramount for not only sparking innovation, but to strengthen the overall cybersecurity posture of Poland and the region. Hitting two birds with one stone The nation's efforts to grow its startup scene are also linked to a strategic push to develop advanced dual-use technologies, which can address both commercial market and national security needs. These technologies include artificial intelligence (AI), quantum and post-quantum cryptography, as well as cloud computing. With cybersecurity top of mind now for governments, Poland's Ministry of Digital Affairs and Armed Forces are working together through a few initiatives to encourage private innovators to collaborate directly with government stakeholders. The collaboration entails testing and refining solutions that enhance both market competitiveness and security of the products. The PWCyber programme, for example, is one government initiative that focuses on one hand, enhancing the competency of the national cybersecurity system, while on the other, providing an opportunity for private sectors to develop, test and implement new solutions for public agencies. Striking a balance between encouraging digitalisation and maintaining security is crucial, says Chomicki. He explaines that Poland has taken this strategic whole-of-ecosystem approach because 'like many other countries, [Poland] recognises that overbearing security measures can hinder technological progress, business competitiveness, and the broader digital transformation of the economy.' Turning to the growth areas in cybersecurity, he highlights four of them with the potential for regional specialisation for the Europe region. These are securing industrial systems with distributed endpoints like Internet of Things (IoT) and Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA); securing software codes, web applications and programming processes; identity verification; and cryptography. To subscribe to the GovInsider bulletin, click here. International partnerships: A fundamental requirement Aside from nurturing the local startup ecosystem, Chomicki points to the need for like-minded nations to collaborate to advance secure AI development and reap the gains together. Cross-border collaboration can centre on developing robust algorithms, ensuring access to verified data for machine learning, and prioritising data security. AI alignment, existential risk mitigation, or responsible use in military contexts must be treated as global commons where cooperation is prioritised over competition, says H.E. Tadeusz Chomicki. Image: Kyiv International Cyber Resilience Forum He cites Singapore as a model that Poland supports and learns from given its balance of national innovation alongside regional responsibility. Given the rapid proliferation of AI, the complexities of its security, ethics and oversight are also too significant for any single nation to manage alone, he notes. Even amidst the global race to develop frontier AI models, 'certain areas – such as AI alignment, existential risk mitigation, or responsible use in military contexts – must be treated as global commons where cooperation is prioritised over rivalry,' he notes. Read More 8 Lifestyle Business Ideas to Start in 2024 - Chomicki highlights a pressing need for a global oversight body to set shared frameworks, standards, and risk assessment mechanisms that can be applied globally. 'Without common standards, we risk a situation where some countries become so-called 'AI havens' – places with weak regulations and poor oversight. That would undermine global safety efforts. 'A coordinated international approach can help ensure that AI is developed responsibly, with safeguards that protect human rights and promote fairness across borders.' Particularly in high-stakes domains like healthcare, defence and finance, building trust across nations is not optional – it is essential, he highlights. Preventing digital divides from becoming dependences For international partnerships on AI to be truly effective, they need to be just and cannot sideline the Global South and smaller nations, Chomicki shares. This means these countries cannot just be seen as recipients or users of AI systems created by more developed countries, but as partners in shaping how these technologies evolve. Smaller nations can lead in AI sovereignty. Chomicki cites Singapore's publicly funded SEA-LION, which is Southeast Asia's first large language model. Image: AI Singapore For the developed world, it is about 'supporting their ability to build legal frameworks, technical expertise, and digital infrastructure.' 'This approach strengthens global security, reduces inequality, and helps prevent new forms of digital colonialism,' he says. Again, he cites Singapore as a case study in illustrating how smaller nations can lead in AI sovereignty with its publicly funded SEA-LION, which is Southeast Asia's first large language model. 'Singapore shows that sovereign AI can be open, inclusive, and regionally grounded. By combining international collaboration with local strategic control, it sets an example of how sovereignty and openness can coexist,' he notes. Chomicki believes that to speed up the implementation of new technologies, you need 'close collaboration between friendly, like-minded partners.' 'Building trust and security inside community of interests is crucial for building resilience to new hostile threats.' The takeaway from Poland's experience striking a balance between innovation and security? 'Our message is simple: If we build for resilience together, we can innovate faster, safer, and more inclusively.'
Hindustan Times
10-05-2025
- Hindustan Times
CCTVs in Delhi underpasses to keep eye on waterlogging
The Public Works Department (PWD) has planned to install CCTV cameras at Moolchand and Pul Prahladpur underpasses — which have been identified as waterlogging hot spots — to ensure round-the-clock monitoring during the rainy season. PWD already monitors a number of waterlogging hot spots in real time to take timely measures, including deploying mobile pumps. 'The cameras will be installed this month and will be connected to the centralised control room from where these points will be monitored,' said a PWD official, asking not to be named. The department is in the process of hiring an agency that will install eight bullet cameras and three dome cameras at Moolchand and Pul Prahladpur underpasses, along with other equipment to support the live feed to the Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system developed for monitoring and issuing timely alerts. The official added that the department is trying to ensure live CCTV monitoring of nearly all underpasses by monsoon this year. As per the standard operating procedure set by PWD, if the depth of water accumulation in an underpass at any location is around 6-8 inches, the control room is supposed to immediately inform the field unit and check with pump operators if the pumps are working. If the water level keeps rising, the traffic police is alerted to divert traffic away from the underpass. Both Moolchand and Pul Prahladpur underpasses witnessed waterlogging after heavy rainfall last year, impacting traffic in south and southeast Delhi areas. PWD minister Parvesh Verma earlier announced plans to get 1,800 temporary water pump sets for central Delhi's ITO and adjoining areas for the entire monsoon season. Additionally, permanent pump houses have been created at nearly all underpasses. To avoid flooding in ITO, PWD is also laying down two new drain lines and carrying out desilting work on existing drains. According to PWD, 308 waterlogging points were identified in Delhi in 2023. In 2025, a total of 445 waterlogging points have been identified in the capital based on data shared by the traffic police. Of these, 335 points fall under PWD's jurisdiction.
