Safety must come before production, says DGMS official at IIT (ISM) Dhanbad programme
THE JHARKHAND STORY NETWORK Dhanbad, August 17: Safety must always take precedence over production in mining, Deputy Director General of Mines Safety…
THE JHARKHAND STORY NETWORK
Dhanbad, August 17: Safety must always take precedence over production in mining, Deputy Director General of Mines Safety (Electrical) Prof Ajay Singh said on Monday while inaugurating a five-day Executive Development Programme (EDP) on “Mine Electrical Drives Technology and Safety Challenges” at IIT (ISM) Dhanbad.
Organised by the Department of Electrical Engineering, the programme will continue till August 21 and focuses on emerging electrical-drive technologies, energy efficiency and safety challenges in mining.
Prof Ajay Singh was the chief guest, while Prof Sukumar Mishra, Director, IIT (ISM) Dhanbad, presided over the programme as patron. Prof Upendra Kumar, Director, Government Engineering College, Bokaro, and Dr Sudipta Chakraborty, Director, Jharkhand Government PPP Model Colleges under Techno India Group, attended as Guests of Honour.
Technical Lapses Can Lead to Fatal Accidents
Prof Singh highlighted the importance of executive development programmes in exposing professionals to knowledge and challenges beyond their regular areas of work.
Sharing a case study of a fatal mine accident, he explained how an improperly sized core balance current transformer (CBCT) failed to detect an earth fault even though the protection system appeared to be functioning properly during testing.
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The incident, he said, demonstrated how seemingly minor technical lapses can have fatal consequences in mining.
Prof Singh said he would share more such accident case studies during the five-day programme to help participants understand the practical safety challenges associated with mine electrical systems.
IIT (ISM) Must Combine Mining Legacy with Multidisciplinary Strength
Prof Sukumar Mishra highlighted IIT (ISM) Dhanbad’s unique position as a century-old institution with a strong legacy in mining as well as the broader multidisciplinary strength of the IIT system.
He said the institute’s challenge was to effectively combine its historic expertise in mining with its growing capabilities across multiple disciplines.
He also stressed the need for greater interdisciplinary collaboration among the institute’s 17 departments to address complex challenges facing the mining and energy sectors.
Energy Efficiency Key to Sustainable Mining
Prof Pradip Kumar Sadhu, Co-Coordinator of the programme, said safety should be the first priority before production or any other industrial activity.
He highlighted the growing importance of energy-efficient electrical drives, particularly in high-energy-consuming mining applications such as underground mine ventilation.
He also spoke about IIT (ISM)’s research in wireless power transfer for underground mines and floating solar photovoltaic technology, which could contribute to more efficient and sustainable mining operations.
Prof Upendra Kumar said technologies such as automation, artificial intelligence, Internet of Things (IoT), power electronics and electric mobility were rapidly transforming the mining sector.
He stressed that electrical systems must improve not only productivity but also reliability and worker safety.
Dr Sudipta Chakraborty echoed the emphasis on safety, observing that equipment and production losses could be recovered, but human life could never be replaced.
EDP to Focus on Emerging Mining Technologies
Prof K.C. Jana, Head of the Department of Electrical Engineering, outlined the department’s evolution and said it currently has around 15-20 sponsored research projects.
Prof Nitai Pal, Programme Coordinator, proposed the vote of thanks.
The five-day EDP will cover a wide range of topics, including power electronics and electrical drives, mine machinery, equipment health monitoring, preventive maintenance, earthing and grounding, flameproof and intrinsically safe systems, electric vehicles, predictive maintenance, IoT- and AI-based mine monitoring, regulatory standards and accident case studies.
The programme aims to bridge academic knowledge with field-level challenges and help mining professionals adopt safer, more reliable and energy-efficient practices.
