Google has announced to expand its “Android Earthquake Alerts System” to Pakistan to enable the users to detect seismic activities in their respective areas.
“Today, Google is launching Android Earthquake Alerts System in Pakistan. Android Earthquake Alerts System is a no-cost, helpful Android feature that detects earthquakes around the world and alerts people,” the search engine giant said in a statement.
The system uses accelerometers in active android smartphones to detect seismic activities. It alerts people in two ways — via search and directly on the android mobile device itself.
“The system provides near-instant information to Google Search. When people look up “earthquake” or “earthquake near me”, they will find relevant results, along with helpful resources on what to do after an earthquake. Users who do not wish to receive these alerts can turn this off in device settings.”
Pakistan has experienced several earthquakes in the past, especially in the northern and western parts of the country. With the expansion of this earthquake alert system, android users in the country may receive automatic early warning alerts that would help them be prepared for an emergency.
On mobile devices, the Android Earthquake Alerts System displays two types of alerts, depending on the magnitude and intensity of the earthquake.
“Be Aware” alerts people when earthquakes with a magnitude of 4.5 occur, or an intensity level of 3 or 4 on the MMI scale. The notification is sent along with the distance of the earthquake’s epicentre. The alert uses the phone’s current volume, vibration, and “Do Not Disturb settings”.
“Take Action” is a full-screen alert for earthquakes with a magnitude higher than 4.5, or an intensity level of 5 and above on the MMI scale. To help people prepare for potential heavy shaking, full-screen instructions are shown and the phone plays a loud sound.
The Android Earthquake Alerts System was first introduced in New Zealand and Greece.
It is available now in more countries including Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Philippines, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, United States of America and Uzbekistan.

There is a general approach of not maintaining the machines until it stops working. Does this approach exist in the industry too? Is our industry aware of the importance of maintenance?
Most people in the industry believe maintenance is a liability. They drag machines to a point where they either stop working or start affecting production. Therefore, it’s a must that they should maintain machines properly with their schedule. Yes, there are the ones in the industry who attach importance to the maintenance of machines and understand their significance. Those who do otherwise face repercussions such as production loss, increase in downtime, and labor cost. In a downtime case, you require time for its arrangement; it eats up your resources. We pursue our clients to sign for routine maintenance of the machine. It adds up to a small fraction of the amount.
Do you think the industry has been gripped by the perception that maintenance charges are, in fact, an extra earning for companies?
Yes, numerous people in the industry hold such perceptions. But the reality is different and we try to convince them to opt for proper maintenance and our company does not depend only on such amount. If they start understanding, the benefit ultimately goes to them because if you maintain machines you increase their life and save extra expenses.
New people are entering the industry and also we find many engineers there, does their inclusion help change the perception as regards maintenance?
New technologies are coming and we deal in building automation. Automation is replacing manual sytems and thus the importance of maintenance continues to be increasing. Therefore, numerous industries are educating their people to attach importance to maintenance as the systems are getting more complicated now. Computerized management systems are being set up so that we keep track records of the maintenance of systems.
How do Maintenance Management Systems help you and the industry in maintaining the systems?
This system generates data so that you come to know how and when you have been maintaining the system and which parts have been changed and when would they need to be addressed again. It facilitates us to maintain things in time with the continuity of the systems.
How much time does your company take to maintain a system on a big plant? How long do you call for a shutdown?
We believe in preventive maintenance and thus it works on the running system. In some cases, we need shutdowns in some sectors for instance fire alarm systems, because they are connected with power generation and they are high voltage systems.
What other services IMS is offering through the maintenance department?
They include HVC Control systems, lighting control, energy monitoring stems, fire fighting systems, etc. We offer monthly and yearly services to maintain all these systems. Besides building management systems, we see smaller systems too and provide an on-call service basis.
Would you like to share an experience that is memorable for you?
Every work is challenging here. If you look at the clients’ list, that includes big names in the pharmaceutical sector. They are serious about the maintenance of their systems. There is a lot of automation there and thus it must work properly. Then, banks also attach priority to maintenance. At Port Qasim, we provide services at Container Terminal. We love to work in challenging conditions

India witnessed a six-fold jump in foreign direct investment (FDI) equity inflow of $343.64 million in the Research and Development (R&D) during the calendar year 2021 as compared to the same period a year earlier.
FDI is permitted under 100 percent automatic route in the R&D sector, subject to applicable laws, regulations, and security. Robust FDI inflows in R&D space play an important role in the development of a knowledge-based economy, paving the way for higher economic growth.
According to data released by the industry department, Karnataka was the top FDI equity recipient state in R&D during 2021. Karnataka was followed by Telangana and Haryana. Flows into Karnataka were up more than 250 percent in 2021 as compared to 2020.
Singapore was the largest investor in the R&D space during CY 2021 with a share of 40 percent as compared to total inflows. The country was followed by Germany (35 percent) and the United States (11 percent).
“Further, FDI Equity inflow from several countries like Germany, Mauritius, France, Singapore, Oman and US. showed an increase of more than 200 percent as compared to previous C.Y. 2020,” an official statement said.
Company-wise, Daimler Truck Innovation Center was the top FDI inflow recipient in R&D during 2021, with 35 percent share of total FDI Equity in R&D, followed by Aragen Life Sciences Private Limited (34 percent) and Stelis Biopharma Private Limited (21 percent ).
“These trends indicate a robust and growing R&D sector which would benefit the economy by driving innovation, increasing productivity, thereby leading to higher economic growth,” the statement said. — ERMD

Pakistan has been facing a power crisis for over 3 decades, what do you suggest to get the country out of this crisis?
It’s been a long-standing issue and every government resolves to address it but the shortfall continues unabated. Inflation goes up all the time and people do not catch up on the purchasing power be it generators or solar panel systems. The use continues to become expensive. After the taxes, the prices exponentially increased. Look at the petrol prices, the people wonder how they continue using it with such exorbitant petrol prices.
The government can supply power for not more than 12 hours and given the situation industries switch to gas which is also not easily available during this government. The industry used to export gas and is now moving to closure. The impact does not only affect the industry but also thousands of people are losing their jobs. How will they live their lives! This kind of impact is always overlooked by governments. They take short-term decisions, restricted to their stay in power. You cannot find long-term programs and if there were any, the new government stopped them.
What is the alternative available to the industry so that it continues to function with the same cost?
We have been working on diesel generators for the last 20 years and our assessment shows the industrial cost of a generator is not more than what the industry usually pays to power utilities like K-electric and WAPDA; it is almost equal. The industry looks towards green energy and efficient systems.
We were working on the Fiat Powertrain Generator for the last 5 years. We were exploring some systems that benefit the end user. Have a look at its features, if we run it on prime power because of a 12 hours power shortfall, you can save 15 to 20 percent of diesel. The next feature includes the first oil service after 150 hours rather than the normal requirement of 50 hours. For the second oil change, other brands call for 250 hours max but Fiat Powertrain allows running it for 500 hours. Thus the service demand will fall in alternate months and it reduces the expenses of the users.
What about the comparison of investment between your brand and the others?
The increase in dollar prices subsequently increases the prices of every product. It is a global phenomenon but still, our brand is already offering 10 to 15 percent less than other brands.
Diesel is considered to be an expensive solution. Do you offer other systems other than the diesel one?
Yes, we do. We have been working on gas generators too. They are the best savers that’s why everyone wishes to go for gas generators. We are in the process of talking with Siemens for one of its brands. It is almost finalized. Siemens gas generators are better than other brands in terms of capital cost or operational cost. Its efficiency is 46 percent compared with other big brands.
Are you in wind power too?
Yes, we have worked on turbines manufactured by US company Capstone. They start with 200 KW and it’s our entry into green energy. Since we are facing a shortfall of gas and diesel, what we need to do is to change the nozzle and use it. Yes, the initial investment is high, touching over US$1000 on 1 KW. Later on, the operational cost remains low. It’s efficient for the industry in Karachi and Punjab.
It’s been 20 years that Powerzone is in the market, what other brands are you dealing in?
Green energy is the focus around the world today and thus we have introduced a turbine whose very first unit has reached Lahore. Since we are facing issues in service etc, we needed something that we can rely on and this is such a type of turbine. Based on diesel, this machine requires once a year servicing. You just have to change the filter. It is a technology that requires no service. We have a good offer and it is very efficient for mobile companies. They have to ensure relaying signals from their towers. They face issues relating to diesel theft in remote areas. We worked with the Bladon MicroTurbine and are importing it. We mix diesel and kerosine and use them to address the theft issue because it cannot be sold in the market. You can run it on low-speed diesel or kerosine and it will give you a 15 percent saving for sure. The initial cost is higher but it ensures you uninterrupted service. We have exhibited it in Islamabad and we have a testing center in Lahore.
The response in Pakistan is good and inquiries have started pouring in from the industry.
Apart from mobile companies, smaller bank branches can also benefit from this product. It is a 12 KW turbine that can easily run 2 air conditioners and ATMs in remote areas.
It is interesting that besides a wide range of generators, you deal in lifts too!
If you talk about lifts, Chinese brands fall into your mind. But it is the quality that is much talked about. Then you see European lifts which double the cost of Chinese lifts. We have introduced a Turkish brand, Aser. Quite a few lifts have been installed in Lahore. They are good in price, naturally a bit more expensive than Chinese lifts. We are trying to introduce more efficient brands in Pakistan.
In Pakistan, many high-rise buildings have been erected and many of them have started becoming older. We continue receiving queries for the replacement of the lift and parts. In new societies, we see good demand in big cities of the country

Careem, the Super App for the greater Middle East and Pakistan, has launched the Falcon project to provide learning and employment opportunities to young and aspiring engineers across the region.
The program consists of multiple training modules that will last for twelve months and enable fresh graduates to get hands-on experience in solving real-life problems using world-class tech facilities at Careem.
So far, more than twenty Falcons are registered in the program, out of which nine have successfully transitioned to core tech teams spread across the region. This transition enables them to work directly on multiple areas across the super app offerings, such as the mobility of people, things, and money.
The Falcons will also get a chance to work alongside engineering leaders at Careem with a wealth of experience from global tech companies like Microsoft, Google, Facebook, Amazon, and Flipkart.
Senior Director of Engineering, Khurram Naseem, said: “On our mission to simplify and improve the lives of people, we need to ensure that we provide a seamless experience on the app as well, which requires a very strong team of engineers constantly working to maintain the quality of the user experience.:
“The Falcon project enables us to find talented engineers from across the region and provide them with the right resources to become world-class engineers,” he added.
Careem plans to make Pakistan an epicenter of technology by expanding the engineering and IT landscape and hiring fresh graduates from across the country. These Falcons will be working remotely along with the wider engineering teams in Cairo, Jordan, Karachi, and Lahore.
Careem has more than 800,000 Captains registered on its platform so far. As the region’s Super App, Careem offers multiple opportunities as it expands its services from the mobility of people, money, food, daily essential deliveries, peer-to-peer credit transfer, and mobile top-ups. – PR