DGLL SPEECH
Thiru G K Vasan Ji, Hon’ble Minister of Shipping,
MY SALUTATION AND WELCOME TO
SHRI MC JAUHARI, JOINT SECRETARY (SHIPPING),
SRI ATHULYA MISHRA ,CHAIRMAN CHENNAI PORT TRUST
SRI SATYA PRAKASH SHARMA, I G, COMMAND OF
COAST GUARD REGION (EAST),
SRI BHASKARACHARYA, CHAIRMAN, ENNUR PORT TRUST
DISTINGUISHED GUEST AND MY FRIENDS FROM PRINT &
ELECTRONIC MEDIA
SRI J. S. CHUHAN, E. MURTHY ,DDG’S
RETIRED SENIOR OFFICERS
MY COLLEAGUES, LADIES AND GENTLEMAN
AND BELOVED CHILDREN 1 Page
The 14 th November 2013 will go down as watershed day in the history of the DGLL and for this
Sir, I as head of the DGLL shall remain ever grateful to you Sir as the various tertiary schemes which we are seeing fructifying was your brainchild , your vision. We have only tried to manifest them in the field. Sir we have been, in recent years, commissioning number of schemes on aids to marine navigation like Vessel
Traffic Services, National AIS Network, Commissioning of Lighthouses. But today, we have taken three scheme together one in our core area – Foundation
Laying Ceremony of Porto Novo Navtex Transmitting
Station and two our teritarial area - opening of
Madras Lighthouse to general public and a technical
museum. 2 Page
Sir, the saga of navigation and human civilization has run concurrently. With navigation arose, the requirement of landmark where one returns back after the voyage. The history of lighthouses must have started in this way. We have the manifestation of such land mark near Gujarat and crucible on the
Olakaneshwara temple at Mahabalipuram. However, due to its very nature and due to history in itself we have not been able to preserve such marks. But when aids to navigation got some physical shape in the form of equipment during last century or so, we tried to preserve those equipment and showcase to the public. Needless to say again sir, that, it was entirely
your initiative. 3 Page
The technical museum being opened today, here, is reflection of such endeavour where you all will see the vintage to modern light equipment. Very few of us here know that one of the equipment on display here is Sunvalve. The inventor Sir Gustaf Dalen, got the noble prize in 1912 in physics for this equipment. Sun
Valve is a thermal switch controlling the flow of gas.
The keen visitors visiting this technical museum will have a clear insight on the various facets of lighthouse engineering. Sir, in years to come we will be adding some new dimension to this museum.
Sir, Chennai Lighthouse is a beautiful lighthouse located at a magnificent location Marina- one of the longest beach in the world. The lighthouse has
remained closed for visitors from early nineties due to 4 Page
security threat. Earlier public were allowed to visit the lighthouse and go on top of the lighthouse and have the view around. I must appreciate the magnanimity of the Hon’ble Minister who desired that the lighthouse should be opened to the public. We have installed a new elevator and with security arrangement, we are ready today for opening of the lighthouse to the general public by the Hon’ble Minister. Since the
Lighthouse is now housing state of the art surveillance equipment, public will not be allowed to go on the top of the lighthouse due to health and security reasons.
But they can still have the beautiful view around from the balcony of service room.
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Sir, the issue of establishment of Navtex was deliberated in one of the advisory committee for NAIS in 2008 by the DG Shipping. It was also explained to us that for want of reliable and seamless service, we are not able to fulfill the commitment made to IMO as this was GMDSS ( GLOBAL MARITIME DISTRESS AND SAFETY
SYSTEM ) component which was mandatory by IMO for certain class of vessels since 1993. Sir, DGLL, though not directly involved, volunteered to establish a reliable
Navtex service for the entire Indian Waters so that we are able to fulfill our commitment to
IMO(INTERNATIONAL MARITIME ORGANIZATION). I am again grateful to you sir for your patient hearing and nodding for the scheme. The result is that we are in
readiness to start the work. By December 2014, I am 6 Page
hopeful that we shall be able to provide a reliable
Navtex service in our waters.
Sir, we are an organization largely unseen and unsung. Very few know about our technical capability and high tech inventory of DGLL. In this pursuit, I have been getting support from My Hon’ble Minister in agreeing to our policies, Chairman Standing
Committee on transport, tourism and culture who has never winked an eye on our budget proposals and my
Secretary whose pace of work, I am afraid I am not able to match. But I assure you sirs, that we will do our best and will never be found lacking in our pursuit.
In 12 th Plan proposal we have planned to get into field of e-navigation, where we will be able to
consolidate various aids to navigation for ease in their 7 Page
comprehension at one stroke by mariners, an independent terrestrial system of navigation in the form e-Loran, facilitating real time draught to mariners in the constricted waterways enabling them to load extra cargo, ensuring berth to berth navigation by enhancing the positional accuracy of our systems.
Sir, we are a small organization, possibly the leanest organization in the Govt. of India where with a little over 1000 sanctioned strength. We have been managing our set up effectively. But introduction of coastal surveillance roll which needs 24x7 supervision, we are running short of manpower. Sir, I shall need your benign help for this.
Sir, We fend ourselves as we generate our own
revenue and manage the entire Indian Coast Line and 8 Page
A&N and Lakshadweep Islands. Our staff always remains isolated at remote locations and hard pressed. Though we provide the possible welfare measures there are no of local issues where I look forward to the local authorities for their assistance. This will allow me to serve in even better way.
I thank you sir for making it to this function and welcome you and everyone once again. I assure you
Sir that the DGLL will never be found wanting in serving the nation in general and maritime community in particular.
Jai Hind.
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