(a) whether the ordnance factory in Medak district, Andhra Pradesh has fitted some of the Army`s mechanised infantry armoured vehicles with dysfunctional guns;
(b) whether the air pressure was not up to scratch in some of the vehicles and in two different cases, the missile circuits electronic component was dysfunctional;
(c) whether the Government have made any enquiry about these incidents; and
(d) if so, the findings of these enquiries and the action taken by the Government in this regard?
MINISTER OF DEFENCE (SHRI GEORGE FERNANDES)
(a) to (d): A Statement is attached.
STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (d) OF LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 821 FOR 22.11.2001
(a)The Gun (Article 2A42) is manufactured at Ordnance Factory, Trichy, and assembled with BMP-II vehicles which are manufactured at Ordnance Factory Project, Medak. These guns are tested by Directorate General of Quality Assurance (DGQA) organisation as per the collaborators specified quality plans before the same are issued to the Army. The user (Mechanised Infantry) have recently conducted trials on the vehicles in April, 2001 and it has been reported that the overall performance of these guns has been satisfactory. Therefore, Ordnance Factory Project, Medak has not supplied BMP-II vehicles to the Army with dysfunctional guns.
(b) The problem of leakage of air pressure in compressed air system from joints was reported in three vehicles out of 90 BMP vehicles issued to the Army. These are routine rectifiable defects and the same were rectified by Ordnance Factory Project, Medak technical team on 20th May, 2000.
(c) Certain defects / mal-function with electronic components / circuits of missiles and launchers fitted on BMP-2 vehicles were reported by the users. The same were rectified by the technical team of Ordnance Factory Project, Medak, on 22nd November, 2000 and handed over to the users in acceptable condition.
(d) BMP vehicles manufactured at Ordnance Factory Project, Medak, are issued to the Army after stringent inspection schedule comprising of the following:-
(1) Inspection by factory Quality Assurance
(2) Inspection by DGQA
(3) Inspection by Army`s Depot Collection Team
(4) Inspection by Resident Inspector Technical Group, Electrical and Mechanical Engineers Headquartered at the Depots (Joint Receipt Inspection (JRI)
(5) Inspection by Collection Team of User unit.
Certain deficiencies of routine nature observed during the various stages of inspection are attended to/rectified by the technical team of Ordnance Factory Project, Medak, before finally handling over to the users. These are attended to as a routine and as per accepted and mutually agreed practice. Therefore, enquiry was neither considered necessary nor was the same instituted.