try
  {
	   if($session_id eq '')
	   {
		#create new session
		$session = new CGI::Session(undef, $cgi, {Directory=>'/tmp/'});
	   }
	   else
	   {
		  #reinitialse with session with session id
		 $session= new CGI::Session(undef, $session_id, {Directory=>'/tmp'});
	   }
	   return $session;
  }
  catch IOException with 
  {
		my $ex = shift;
		if (!$self->raiseException()) 
		{
		  warn("IOException occurred - " . $ex->getMessage());
		  return;
		}
  }