‘Rs 5 Cr being spent on safety equipment this year’
Srinagar: Principal Secretary, Power Development Department (PDD), Rohit Kansal Wednesday remarked that the motto of the department is to ensure a zero accident system. He was speaking in a function organised to observe the National Electrical Safety Week.
He also informed that the department is spending nearly Rs 5 crores for various safety devices this year. He also revealed that 12,000 employees at the field levels had been insured this year.
It may be mentioned that the week from 26th June to 2nd July is being observed as Electrical Safety Week throughout the country and a number of events, safety workshops and mock drills are being organised in this connection. In J&K too, the week is being observed across various divisions and offices of the PDD and safety pledges are being administered to staff and officers. In Jammu, the same was led by the Managing Directors of the Corporations, JPDCL and JKPTCL, Gurmeet Singh and Nasib Singh.
Speaking at the event organised at Electric Division Rajbagh in Srinagar, Kansal observed that safety cannot be a one time or part time affair and constant alertness and observance of SoPs is required. He emphasized on ensuring operationalization of every layer of protection, be it personal protection or system isolators and other protective equipment.
Kansal further exhorted upon the staff especially the field staff to operate system protection measures like use of isolators and temporary earthing before taking up any tasks in the field. He advised them to work as per the SoPs and liaise with the feeder managers so that there is no miscommunication between them. He stated that if all SoPs are faithfully implemented the chances of accidents would be eliminated.
He further emphasised that feeder managers and other staff are accountable for safety and that they should ensure that before taking up any of the repair work adequate communication at all levels to ensure shutdowns is made. They should also encourage and ensure use of personal protection gear like safety belt, hand gloves, helmet, shoes with rubber soles and reflective jackets. He warned that there would be zero tolerance for accidents and all cases of negligence would invite action.
The MD, KPDCL, Basharat Qayoom revealed on the occasion that the corporation has procured safety equipments for the protection of the field staff and much more is going to be done including installation of isolators on HT lines and other systemic measures. He enjoined upon the field staff that there should be no reluctance in use of safety gear and other measures as human lives are precious than anything else.
He said that our slogan should be ‘Safety First’. He said that the corporation has framed the necessary SoPs for the field staff to adhere to and is also creating a safety manual for all of them. He divulged that every electric division of valley is observing this week by organizing mock drills, seminars and awareness programmes.
Later on the Principal Secretary distributed the safety gear like hand gloves, Jackets etc among the field staff of Electric Sub Division, Raj Bagh. He encouraged all of them to take full advantage of the distributed material for their safety and protection.