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MUMBAI/NEW DELHI: Raising concerns over recurring electrical accidents, fires and electrocutions across the country, former power sector regulator D Radhakrishna has urged the Centre to introduce sweeping electrical safety reforms, arguing that stronger oversight is essential to protect consumers and prevent avoidable tragedies.In a letter dated June 9 to NITI Aayog member Prof Abhay Karandikar, Radhakrishna said electrical safety remains one of the most neglected yet critical areas of India’s power sector. He linked his concerns to a 1984 circuit-breaker blast at a power generation facility that reportedly claimed nearly 20 lives, including colleagues, an experience he said underscored the consequences of weak safety systems.For ordinary consumers, the issue goes beyond statistics. Transformer blasts, short-circuit fires and electrocution incidents continue to affect homes, residential complexes and public spaces, he noted, adding that rapid urbanisation, high-rise development and rising electricity consumption have increased risks.Among the measures proposed are independent electrical safety certification, mandatory periodic safety audits for residential complexes, hospitals, schools, malls and high-rise buildings, stricter enforcement of safety regulations, and creation of a national authority dedicated to electrical safety oversight and accident investigation. The former regulator also suggested capacity-building programmes for electricians and maintenance personnel, along with stronger compensation mechanisms for victims of electrical accidents and fires.The letter additionally recommends examining a longer tariff framework for certain long-life power infrastructure projects, arguing that it could improve affordability while creating financial room for maintenance and safety compliance.Radhakrishna urged the government to consider a high-level committee comprising technical institutions, regulators and industry experts to study the proposals, saying safety and affordability must remain the twin pillars of future power-sector reforms.
