Govt looks to Mossad to up intel capability

Pradeep Sharma

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 7

The Haryana Police are looking towards Israel for beefing up their security and intelligence-gathering capabilities in view of their “inept” handling of violent situations during BJP’s three-and-a-half years rule.

With that end in mind, three senior police officers —Mohammad Akil, ADGP (Law and Order); Anil Rao, IGP (CID); and Navdeep Singh Virk, IGP (Rohtak Range)—are accompanying Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar to Israel apparently to deliberate on matters of security cooperation between Haryana and Israel.

Sources said intelligence-gathering expertise of Israel, especially through its intelligence agency Mossad, could help the Haryana Police in several ways.

A senior government functionary told The Tribune on Monday that Mossad’s help could go a long way in sharpening state police’s intelligence-gathering skills as it had been found wanting on more than one occasion.

The police, especially their intelligence wing, were caught unawares — first during the Rampal episode in Rohtak in 2015 and then during the Jat quota agitation the next year.

The police also failed to rise to the occasion during violence in Panchkula last year in the wake of Dera Sacha Sauda chief’s conviction.

Khattar said on Sunday a high-level delegation led by him would study best practices of Israel in several fields and replicate them in Haryana.

AGRITECH 2018

Chandigarh: The Embassy of Israel is happy to welcome Chief Minister of Haryana Manohar Lal Khattar, Minister of State for Panchayati, Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Parshottam Rupala, Agriculture Minister of Maharashtra, Pandurang Pundalik Fundkar, Senior Officials from the State of Punjab, as well as over 100 Indian company representatives to Agritech 2018 in Israel. In all, over 1,000 representatives from India will attend the two-day conference, said a press note issued by the Embassy of Israel in India Monday. Agritech 2018 is the 20th conference on agricultural technologies taking place in Israel. The conference, beginning Tuesday, features speakers from Israel and around the world, sharing know-how, innovation and technology in agriculture and food processing, said the release. The theme for this year’s conference is “Agriculture in arid and semi-arid regions”, a topic relevant to large parts of India. 

2-wheeler ambulance catches CM’s fancy

• The state government may soon introduce ambulance-equipped two-wheeler service in the state
• This possibility has emerged after Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, who is leading a high-level delegation to Israel, on Monday visited United Hatzalah in Jerusalem
• He interacted with officials to know about the concept of community-based  two-wheeler ambulance services, a government spokesperson said. 
• It has been launched in the crowded cities of Israel to meet any emergency.  
• With the Chief Minister evincing interest in the service, which could help save time and lives, United Hatzalah of Israel has agreed to send a delegation to Haryana soon to explore the possibility of a tie-up.
• Called Ambucycles, these two-wheelers have an attached first-aid case designed to hold all necessary medical equipment. 
• Unlike cars and ambulances, Ambucycles, due to their size, are not held up in traffic jams or in narrow streets. 
• These are used by United Hatzalah’s volunteers throughout Israel to provide emergency treatment to people within the first few minutes of a mishap. 
• United Hatzalah of Israel is the largest independent, non-profit, voluntary emergency medical service organisation that provides fastest and free emergency medical first response. 
• United Hatzalah’s service is available to all people regardless of race, religion, or national origin.
• It has more than 4,000 volunteers around the country, available round the clock, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. 
• With the help of a unique GPS technology and iconic ambulances, the average response time is less than three minutes across the country and 90 seconds in metropolitan areas.