LUCKNOW: Nearly two years before a fire in Aliganj claimed 15 lives, the Uttar Pradesh govt had issued detailed directions mandating periodic electrical safety inspections and renewal of safety clearances for commercial establishments and institutions to prevent fire and electrical accidents.The order was issued on Nov 9, 2023, by then additional chief secretary (energy) Mahesh Kumar Gupta in the aftermath of the Sept 5, 2022 fire at Hazratganj’s Levana Suites hotel, in which four people died. Referring to a govt notification dated May 6, 1994, Gupta had noted that inspections and testing of all high voltage, extra high voltage and medium voltage electrical installations were required once every three years.He observed that failure to conduct inspections within the given period had, on several occasions, led to electrical accidents causing loss of life and property. The Levana hotel fire was cited as an example necessitating stricter enforcement.The order mandated periodic inspection of electrical installations in all establishments under the Central Electricity Authority’s safety regulations. Owners and managers of hotels, hospitals, malls, office complexes and multi storey buildings were directed to get electrical safety inspections conducted every three years.It also required that buildings with high public footfall obtain a no objection certificate (NOC) from the Directorate of Electrical Safety (DES) UP before being granted temporary or permanent power connections. The DES was tasked with identifying such buildings, tracking compliance and issuing notices. Power supply could be disconnected if serious safety deficiencies remain unrectified for over a month.The issue has gained renewed attention after Monday’s fire in Aliganj, where 15 people were killed in a two storey residential building that was being used for commercial activities. The ground floor housed a pet shop-cum-veterinary clinic, while the first and second floors accommodated a library, Learning Space and Head Hopper Studio, a 3D art and gaming asset firm.Meanwhile, the Uttar Pradesh Rajya Vidyut Upbhokta Parishad (UPRVUP) has approached the Uttar Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission seeking stricter enforcement of electrical safety norms. UPRVUP chairman and Central Advisory Committee member Avadhesh Kumar Verma said the state has around 26.25 lakh commercial electricity consumers with a connected load of about 75.88 lakh kW.Around 4,000 new commercial electricity connections are issued every month in Uttar Pradesh, while 3,252 new connections were registered through the Jhatpat portal between June 1 and June 23Verma, representing the power consumer body, alleged that electricity distribution companies focus primarily on revenue collection while insufficient attention is paid to compliance with electrical safety standards. “The Aliganj building case is a classic example, where the consumers obtain domestic connections and later operate commercial activity from the premises. While billing is often converted to the commercial category, the requirement of obtaining an electrical safety NOC is frequently overlooked, increasing the risk of accidents,” he added.
