An Industrial Safety Review Meeting was held today under the chairmanship of the Deputy Commissioner, Ludhiana, Sh. Himanshu Jain, IAS, with the objective of strengthening industrial safety preparedness, preventing industrial accidents, and enhancing coordinated emergency response mechanisms among departments and industries across the district.
During the meeting, the following key decisions and directives were taken:
1. Constitution of District Industrial Safety Committee
A District Industrial Safety Committee has been constituted to frame comprehensive Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for industrial safety. The SOPs will, inter alia, include mapping of nearby health facilities, availability of fire brigade services, identification of potential hazardous gases released by industries, and designation of nodal officers to ensure effective coordination and swift emergency response.
2. District-Level Hazard Mapping and Coordination with NDRF
A concept note will be prepared for the development of a district-level hazard map to identify vulnerable industrial zones and risk-prone areas. Coordination will be established with the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) to further strengthen disaster preparedness and response planning in the district.
3. GPS Installation in Excavation Machinery
All Poclain/JCB machines operating in the district have been directed to be equipped with GPS systems to enable real-time monitoring and enhance safety during excavation activities. The GPS devices will be installed free of cost by Think Gas.
For coordination, the contact person is Mr. Gaurav Sabharwal (Mob: 8650722714).
4. Mandatory Safety Clearance Prior to Digging Activities
All departments and agencies undertaking digging or excavation work have been directed to mandatorily obtain prior permission from GAIL and Think Gas, which have extensive gas pipeline infrastructure across the district, to prevent damage to underground pipelines and avert potential accidents.
5. Awareness Programmes and Mock Drills
All industries have been directed to organize awareness-cum-mock drill exercises within their premises over the next one month. These drills will assess on-ground preparedness, emergency response capabilities, and compliance with safety norms. Industries have also been instructed to inform the Deputy Director of Factories (DDF) of their respective circles regarding the conduct of such drills.
6. Deployment of Dedicated Industrial Safety Vehicle
It was informed that GAIL has deployed a dedicated industrial safety vehicle for immediate response in case of any gas-related or industrial accident. In the event of an emergency, the public and concerned departments may contact the GAIL toll-free emergency number: 15101 for prompt assistance and coordination.
The meeting was also attended by Chief Governance Officer, Ludhiana, Sh. Ambar Bandopadhyay, and the Governance Associate, Ms. Anjali. The meeting was attended by senior officers from relevant departments and representatives of key industrial stakeholders.
The Deputy Commissioner emphasized that industrial safety is a shared responsibility and directed all concerned departments and industries to ensure strict compliance with the decisions taken. Regular monitoring and follow-up will be undertaken to ensure effective implementation of these measures in the interest of public safety in Ludhiana.