Arvind Chauhan | Jul 24, 2017, 10:01 AM IST
AGRA: The Aerial Delivery Research and Development Establishment (ADRDE), a laboratory of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), spent Rs 49.50 crore to develop a balloon-based platform for surveillance and communication, but failed to meet Army standards after years of work, according to a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG).
For the project, ADRDE also imported special fabric worth Rs 6.20 crore but never used it during trials of the system. Last year, CAG rapped ADRDE for failing to produce combat free fall (CFF) parachutes for special forces in more than a decade after incurring expenses of Rs 10.75 crore.
According to the report, the ministry of defence sanctioned a technology demonstration project, ‘Nakshatra’, to ADRDE in July 2011, to develop an aerostat platform with net payload capacity of 300 kg and an endurance of seven to 14 days, with balloon life of four to five years.
“Based on the earlier experience with ” — another medium-size aerostat developed by using polyurethane (PU) coated nylon fabric, the ADRDE decided to use laminated fabric, which was supposed to double the endurance of the aerostat to two weeks and shelf life from 18 months to 4-5 years. Therefore, the ADRDE imported laminated fabric at the cost of Rs 6.20 crore,” stated the report.
“Interestingly, the imported laminated fabric was never used and the DRDO lab used only PU coated nylon fabric for the balloon. Later the project was shut down in January 2017, as the Army did not accept the product, incurring a loss of Rs 49.50 crore to the exchequer,” the report added.
Speaking to TOI, public relations officer S M Jain of ADRDE said, “The project was a complete success. We tested the technology of ADRDE at Gurdaspur, Punjab, close to the India-Pakistan border in 2016. Further, the Army demanded that the trials be extended for two more years at various locations close to international borders, but they didn’t give us more funds to conduct the trials. So the operational feasibility of the system was never tested and the project was shut down.”
ADRDE officials also claimed that the balloon made of laminated fabric was kept as a spare and would have been utilised in case of any damage to PU coated nylon fabric balloon.
Army officials however said that the system trials of ‘Nakshatra’ were only carried out for three days. “So the effectiveness of the communication sets loaded on the balloon could not be ascertained. We requested ADRDE to deploy the system for three months to test its efficacy, before we could take over the system for extended trials,” an official said.
Only a few countries in the world have such systems of their own, including the US, Germany, France and Japan.
Tag Archives: ADRDE
Continuously Manipulations in recruitment of scientists in Recruitment and Assessment Centre (RAC), Ministry of Defence, (DRDO).
To 24th March 2015
Hon’ble Shri Manohar Parrikar, Defence Minister, Room No -104, South Block, New Delhi-110011
Subject: Continuously Manipulations in recruitment of scientists in Recruitment and Assessment Centre (RAC), Ministry of Defence, (DRDO).
Sir,
- Since last 10 years lot of complaints were received by defence ministry regarding the manipulation, nepotism, recruitment of incompetent candidates by RAC, DRDO
- Country already witnessed the degradation of DRDO output in several field including Kargil War and one of the major reason of downfall is below standard recruitments done by RAC.
- After intervention of Ex Defence Minister 2 scientists recruitment was annulled by DRDO and more are in queue, same time minister also recommended vide Diary No. 14320 dated 24/102013 for CBI enquiry against 10 senior top scientists including two Ex SA to RM and also advice to rethink recruitment through UPSC to avoid all nonsense activities doing by RAC.
- Dr. RK Jain, when he was mere Sc F, appointed Director, RAC, w.e.f. 1 March 2009. Without doing science he was promoted Sc ‘G then Sc H in 2013 ignoring GOI order of FCS.
- RK Jain’s expertise are utilizing by most of Directors for nepotism and for other vested interest.
- Recently Dr S C Sati, Director, ADRDE, Agra pushing a privilege to his loyal multidimensional, multitalented, supporting Ade Sh Vikas B Thakre, Sc F by helping him to recruit his wife Dr. Vandana V Thakre for the post of scientist E in DRDO.
- A tailor made post was advertised with help of great manipulator Dr R K Jain for Dr. Vandana V Thakre, Interview is already completed, as per sources the selection was finalized within day or two it will be declare by RAC.
- Presently Dr. Vandana V Thakre is working as associate professor in Madhav Institute of Technology and Science, Gwalior and Dr Sc Sati’s son Akshat is perusing his engineering in her guidance.
- I think Sh Vikas B Thakre, Sc F inspired by Dr A K Sikdar, Sceitist G, HEMRL, Pune that his involved in writing/reviewing of his own wife Dr.Nirmla Sikdar, Scientist F and reporting her husband since last five years. Anything can happen in DRDO
- These all involved scientists are not learn a lesson from Dr Arun Kumar, Ex DOP’s last minute suspension, his daughter;s 10 year service annulling, Dr. S M Veerabhadrappa, Director, DTRL charge sheeted and facing Departmental proceeding, Mrs T Chandrabanu, Sc F service annulled, Ms S Geetha, Sc D, DIPAS and Ms Dolly Bansal both are in queue, any time their service will be terminated. The queue is very long.
- I would like to congratulate through you to Dr Vandana V Thakre, Sh Vikas B Thakre, Dr S C Sati and Dr R K Jain follow the footsteps of great corrupt Dr Arun Kumar, Dr W Selvamurthy etc.
Sir, we feel that in Modi ji era and your special selection as defence minister everyone in country start hopping that now the corruption/nepotism/favoritism will be end. The two major steps like termination of Sh Avinash Chander, and order for review and hold his last moment orders are giving us some light rays.
With great expectations of corrective measures.
Regards
Prabhu Dandriyal 21-Sunderwala, Raipur, Dehradun- 248001 Ph 0135 2787750, Mobile 9411114879,
e-mail id prabhudoon@gmail.com website www.corruptionindrdo.com
Happy Birthday
12th January
Hope your birthday is totally cool, really fantastic, wonderful, exciting, majorly awesome, rocking and HAPPY. Happy Birthday wishes. Free from Corruption, Free from Nepotism, Free from Favoritism Ms. PRABHAKARA H, ADE Ms. URMILA DAS, ADRDE Shri BHUPESH KUMAR SAHU, ADRDE Ms. KAVITHA N, CVRDE Shri VINAYAGAM A, CVRDE Dr. EKTA KOHLI, DIPAS Shri SRINIVASA SESHACHARY MUDUMBA, DLRL Shri SANDEEP KUMAR, DMSRDE Dr. JOY CHAKRABORTY, DMSRDE Shri RAVEESH KUMAR, LASTEC Shri AMIT KUMAR, NMRL Dr. RANGA RAO KS, NSTL Ms. NEETA VERMA, RCMA Shri MANISH KANT DUBEY, SAG Shri SANJAY DAS, SFC JPUR Ms. CHITRA LATHA, SSB Ms. BISWAS IPSITA, TBRLHappy Birthday
10th January
Hope your birthday is totally cool, really fantastic, wonderful, exciting, majorly awesome, rocking and HAPPY.
Happy Birthday wishes.
Free from Corruption, Free from Nepotism, Free from Favoritism
Shri JAGANNATHAM B, ADE,
Shri M. SARAVANA KUMAR REDDY,ADE,
Shri SUDHAKAR PRASAD, ADRDE,
Shri ROJATKAR PT, ADRDE,
Shri SHELAR SM, ARDE,
Shri ROY ARUN KUMAR,ARDE,
Shri GOPAL AS SRINIVAS, ASL,
Shri Y MANOHAR, ASL,
Dr. RAVINDRA SINGH,DLJ,
Shri PRASHANT TRIPATHI, DLRL,
Shri DARSHAN LAL, DMSRDE,
Shri ASHISH KUMAR NANDA, DRDL,
Shri RAKESH RAVI DAS, IRDE,
Ms. MEENAKSHI BHATT,IRDE,
Shri SHEKHAR TOMAR, IRDE,
Shri PALTA SINGH BK,ITR,
Shri PATIL VIVEK BHAGWAN, LASTECH,
Ms. BR SUSHMA,LRDE,
Shri KATHIRESAN M, NPOL,
Shri SHARMA SUKHENDU,NSTL,
Ms. POONAM KUMARI, R&DE (E),
Shri RAKESH MEENA , R&DE (E),
Shri RAMNIWAS SINGH , R&DE (E)
Shri BISWAS ANINDYA, RCI,
Shri DE BISWAJIT, RCI,
Shri SATAV SANDEEP M, RCI,
Ms. MENON SRILATHA, RCI,
Shri ABHIJEET KUMAR SINGH, SAG,
Shri SHYAM PRAKASH, SPIC,
Shri SANJIV GUPTA, SPIC,
Shri RAJEEV KUMAR, TBRL,
Shri WAREENDRA NATH, WESEE,
Prabhu Dandriyal 21-Sunderwal, Raipur, Dehradun -248008 0135-2787750 – 91-9411114879 prabhudoon@gmail.com, www.corruptionindrdo.com
