Safety norms violated as officials flout protocols to install ACs in 'uuthorised' manner
By Our Staff Reporter
Guwahati, Sept 1: The fire that broke out on the first floor of Block F of Jata Bhavan that houses Fince Department (Budget) on Thursday afternoon might have been doused within half-an-hour, but it continued to generate heat even a day after.
Skeletons continued to tumble out of cupboard exposing several lacue in the overall administration and magement of the Jata Bhavan, the seat of government in Assam.
Now, it has emerged that the Secretariat Administration Department (SAD), tasked with the overall magement of the Jata Bhavan, has no information on the number of air conditioners (ACs) installed at the complex.
Though officials only from the Joint Secretary-level and upwards are entitled for ACs, sources said many senior government officials at the complex have installed ACs without obtaining any prior permission of the SAD nor intimated it by involving private parties. Hence, the department has no count on them.
It is now suspected that many ACs installed in the chambers of officials are “uuthorized”. This, sources said, has put a huge pressure on the existing power load of the transformers installed at the complex, thereby increasing the risk levels.
Two fires have already been reported from the new complex – once in Block B that houses the Water Resources Department on 16th February 2012, then again in Block B on 8th August 2016, both reportedly due to short circuit.
In fact, the fire that broke out on Thursday at Block F of Jata Bhavan too was reportedly due to a short circuit caused by AC installed in the office chamber of Fince Director Purnendu Sarma.
And it has also exposed how officials have flaunted the protocol by installing ACs despite not being entitled. Source said even Sarma is not entitled for one, but he had it in his chamber.
Further, laying bare the utter nonchalance of the departments concerned, it has now emerged that the SAD had asked the Public Works Department (PWD) - Electrical about two months back to assess the power load capacity in Jata Bhavan, but this has still not been done.
Meanwhile, faced with recurrent incidents of fire, the SAD has decided to permanently station two fire tenders at the Jata Bhavan.
The state government has also directed Fire & Emergency Services Directorate to conduct an audit of the entire fire safety measures installed at the complex and submit a detailed report.
On the other hand, one Secretary-level official has been entrusted to conduct a probe into the Thursday’s fire. This will be in addition to the investigation being conducted separately by the Fire & Emergency Services Directorate.