About the Tamil Nadu Electrical Inspectorate
Electricity has become the basic need of people for
comfortable living. Ever since electricity was first introduced in India, in
1879, the first legislation on electricity – Electricity Act, 1887 (Act No. XIII
of 1887) came in to effect as early of 1st July, 1887 to provide protection
of person and property from the risks incident to the supply and use of electricity. The above legislation empowered Local
Government or its authorized officer to enter, inspect and examine any place in
which electricity is supplied or used and make such rules as it is expedient
for the protection of person and property.
The Electricity Act, 1887 was repealed and replaced by Indian Electricity Act, 1903 which contained provision for the post of Electric
Inspector and his duties. The subsequent Indian Electricity Act, 1910 primarily focused
on the safe use of electrical energy and Electrical Inspectors were entrusted
with enough powers and functions to exercise the duty and safeguard people from
electrical hazards as laid out in Indian Electricity Rules, 1956. The
Electricity Act, 2003 which came in to effect on 10th June, 2003 consolidated
all laws on electricity related to generation, transmission, distribution,
trading, consumption, rationalization, policies, etc., The Central Electricity
Authority (Measures relating to Safety and Electric Supply) Regulations, 2010
framed under section 53 of Electricity Act, 2003 is currently in force which
contains the safety provisions of electricity.
Before independence, the then Presidencies appointed Electrical
Inspectors to administer the Indian Electricity Act in their respective states. Their activities
were generally confined to inspection of industrial installations, regulation
of profits and tariffs and the general control of private licencees, standardization
and calibration of meters, and arbitration in disputes. The Electrical
Inspector could, however, advise the Minister in charge of Electricity, if required. They also scrutinized
all estimates regarding electrification of buildings belonging to Govt. &
local bodies.
The erstwhile Madras Presidency too had an Electrical Inspector in as
early as 1908. The post of Electrical
Inspectors were held by eminent electrical engineers who by experience
contributed much for formulating the safety provisions in electricity laws and
code of practices to be followed in the country. The Electrical Inspector of Madras during 1930s
was instrumental in enacting the Cinematograph Rules.
The Electrical Inspector working independently under the Govt., later
came under control of the Chief Engineer of Electricity Department but only for
a short period. The post of Electrical Inspector was upgraded to Commissioner
rank and separated from the Electricity Department since 1936. The Electrical Inspectorate department of
Madras Presidency and Madras Province (after independence) comprising the present Tamil Nadu, Andhra, Karnataka
& Kerala was strengthened with subordinate Electrical Inspectors headed by
a Chief Electrical Inspector to Govt. in the rank of Chief Engineer. With the
bifurcation of the composite Madras State in 1955-56, & subsequent creation
of Tamil Nadu Electricity Board, in July 1957, the Electrical Inspectorate was temporarily
part of the board and the Superintending Engineer / Chief Engineers were
holding additional charge as Chief Electrical Inspector. In 1961, the
Government declared that the Electrical Inspectorate would again be a separate
department under its direct control headed by the Chief Electrical Inspector to
Govt. This present setup of organization was functioning under the administrative
control of PWD Department until 31st
July, 1993.
From 1st August, 1993 it is under
the control of the newly formed Energy Department in the Secretariat. The administration and enforcement of the
various electricity laws including laws on the subject of Taxes on consumption
or sale of Electricity are carried out the Inspectorate organization.
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