September 16, Kathmandu.
The Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation has put forward a new concept for the safety of development projects. After a recent flood in the Bhote Koshi river in Rasuwa caused significant damage and a security crisis in hydropower projects, the Ministry of Energy has embarked on preparedness for the safety of projects.
According to Energy Minister Biraj Bhakta Shrestha, the Ministry has advanced important policy arrangements to make the construction, safety, and management of various projects across the country more effective. To minimize potential risks at project sites and ensure the safety of workers, the Ministry has started preparations to implement the new concept.
According to Ministry spokesperson Mohan Kumar Shakya, a six-point safety concept has been prepared. It proposes everything from mandatory insurance to the restructuring of tunnel routes.
The safety concept includes the provision of mandatory hull insurance. From now on, every project will be required to have mandatory hull or structural insurance.
Similarly, a ‘one project, one safety officer’ system has been introduced. To strictly enforce safety standards at project sites, the concept of ‘One Project, One Safety Officer’ has been put forward.
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Similarly, rescue training has been made mandatory. To quickly move to a safe place and prevent human casualties in any emergency or disaster situation, rescue training will now be regularly conducted at project sites.
Likewise, the concept of an emergency plan has been put forward. Under this, clear emergency plans will be developed and implemented to deal with potential crises, accidents, or natural disasters.
Furthermore, there is a proposal to keep a Minimum Requirements List (MRL) ready at powerhouses. Now, a ‘Minimum Requirements List’ (MRL) will be created and implemented to mandatorily store food and essential materials sufficient for at least 30 days in the powerhouse area.
Similarly, emphasis has been placed on the restructuring of tunnels. Considering the safety and stability of tunnel routes, serious discussions and consultations on the restructuring of tunnels have been intensified.
The Ministry has stated that these new standards and concepts will strengthen the physical assets and safety of workers of the projects, as well as enable projects to cope with any disaster or emergency situation.
For More: Energy Ministry Development Projects
