Accidents like Chamoli should not be repeated: Uttarakhand Chief Secretary Radha Raturi on electrocution mishap

Dehradun (Uttarakhand) [India], August 1 (ANI): In order to ensure that incidents like Chamoli (electrocution incident) do not recur, a high-level meeting of all executive organizations working in the state was taken by Additional Chief Secretary Radha Raturi at the Secretariat on Tuesday on the instructions of the Chief Minister.
In the meeting, suggestions were taken from all the working organizations to bring changes to this system.
While discussing the safety standards with the executive bodies, ACS Radha Raturi gave strict instructions that there should be the highest standards for ensuring safety, and equipment should be used according to those standards.
ACS Raturi gave strict instructions that even after the completion of the project or work, the safety standards should remain as per the prescribed norms. She instructed that apart from the labourers currently working, it is necessary to give proper training to the workers or personnel to be engaged in that building, project or machinery after completion of the work and to get the safety standards tested from time to time.
The ACS said, "As soon as possible, clear separate arrangements for civil work and electrical work for executive institutions in the state, adherence to the highest level of standards for safety standards, training of labourers and personnel and testing of safety standards. While preparing a related new policy, a high-level decision will be taken to implement it in all executive institutions". 
Notably, on July 19, 15 people were electrocuted to death as they came in contact with a railing of an electrified bridge above the Alaknanda river in Uttarakhand's Chamoli district, officials said. 
However, the death toll later reached 16. 
After the report of the magisterial inquiry into the electrocution mishap found that the electrical arrangement was done by the contract, but, the electrical safety did not conform to the standards, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Saturday said that action will be taken on the gross negligence.
Dhami said that the culprits will not be spared at all as FIR has been registered and strict action is being taken by fixing the responsibilities.
“The report of the magisterial inquiry has been received on the accident at the STP plant in Chamoli. Action will be taken based on this. The culprits will not be spared at all. FIR has been registered. Strict action is being taken while fixing the responsibility,” said CM Dhami.
Giving information, District Magistrate Himanshu Khurana said, "It has been found that the electrical arrangement of the STP plant was done by the contract but, the electrical safety did not conform to the standards."
Earlier, Uttarakhand Police arrested three persons, including Uttarakhand Jal Sansthan suspended engineer, for alleged negligence which led to the electrocution mishap.
On July 20, an FIR was registered under Section 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and relevant sections of the Dangerous Machines (Regulation) Act, 1983, against Chamola, supervisor of the joint-venture company, and other unidentified officials. (ANI)