CHENNAI: As part of the ease of doing business in the State, the Energy Department has notified 650 volts as the notified voltage up to which self-certification through Chartered Electricity Safety Engineers would be sufficient instead of inspection by the electrical inspectorate.
According to the government order (GO) issued by the energy department, a multi-storeyed building of more than 15 metres in height with a supply voltage of less than 650 V would be exempted from the certification and periodical inspection by the electrical inspectorate to evaluate the electrical safety of buildings.
The builders can self-certify the buildings through the Chartered Electrical Safety Engineer (CESE), as per the GO. However, electrical engineers warn that it would compromise the safety of the occupants of the multi-storeyed buildings.
Appavoo Subbaiya, former chief electrical inspector to the government and general secretary of National Federation of Engineers for Electrical Safety said that the government has exempted the multi-storeyed buildings from electrical inspection under pressure from the builders.
He said that considering the increasing incidents of fire accidents in highrise buildings, the government should not have relaxed the norms on the safety aspects.
Pointing out that every year 15,000 people die of electrocution in the country, he said 80 per cent of such accidents happen at the LT installation due to the snapping of conductors and residential and commercial buildings. He said that the Tangedco and TANTRASCO installations are exempted from the inspection irrespective of the voltage levels.
“Notification 1(1) and 1(2) of the GO are contradicting each other. Notification 1(1) stipulates inspection has to be undertaken by the CESE while notification 1(2) says that self-certification is sufficient for Tangedco. However, Regulation 32 says that every installation should be inspected either by the Electrical Inspectorate or CESE every five years. But the GO contradicts it,” he said, urging the government to reconsider the exemption given to the multi-storied buildings.