July 14th 2023.
At the Royal Bombay Yacht Club in Colaba, a panel of esteemed speakers discussed the importance of electrical safety and the ways to ensure fires don't occur. The panel included Rajeev Sharma, Deputy Director General of the Bureau of Indian Standards, S Gopa Kumar, President of the National Federation of Engineers for Electrical Safety, S S Warick, Director of the Maharashtra Fire Service, Hemant Sali, Technical Advisor to the Ministry of Roads Highway and Transport, and Ajit Kumar Jain, former State Information Commissioner. Praveen Pardeshi, Chief Executive Officer of the Maharashtra Institute for Transformation and Member Administration at Capacity Building Commission, Government of India, was the Chief Guest. The event was organized by Together VCan, an organization that seeks to facilitate a dialogue between citizens and government.
The meet was a follow-up of prior meetings that looked to raise awareness about electrical safety and the responsibility of citizens to avoid accidents. Jain spoke of the Kamala Mills fire accident and the government’s formation of a fire safety group, which concluded that electrical short circuits were the root cause of many fires. The panel discussed topics such as overloaded systems, the implications of using substandard materials, and how to recognize standardised products.
The dialogue was moderated by Gopa and primarily involved responses to questions with demonstrations of reliable electrical equipment available in the open market. Sharma mentioned an app to check if a product is standardised, and Sali discussed the faulty design of electrical wiring, which can lead to short circuits. The speakers discouraged the use of schuko plugs prevalent in Germany and England and the use of adaptors. They warned that 98% of wirings weren’t compliant with national standards, and that substandard products were often used to cut costs.
The panel also suggested that protective devices with both MCB and RCD should be used, and that audits and awareness of fire safety should be conducted and created. Sali noted that certification could be added before the Fire Department gave NOCs and that self-declaration could be considered with regards to installation responsibility. The panel concluded by stressing that safety should not be compromised and that citizens must take precautions. Indrani Malani, Chairperson of VCan, and V Ranganathan, former Chief Secretary of Maharashtra and Trustee of VCan, also spoke at the event.
Ultimately, the meet raised concerns about electrical fire safety and stressed the importance of quality wires. It was a reminder that safety should always be prioritized, and that citizens must be aware of the risks of using substandard materials.
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