NIT Trichy is responding to a call from the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Kerala Section, by fabricating temporary electric distribution boards to restore power to homes still reeling under the devastating floods. The Faculty and the students, with support from the Alumni, are in overdrive to deliver the requisitioned numbers in time.
The catastrophe that struck Kerala ravaged the state leaving many dead and much lost. In the first phase of rehabilitation, one of the major problems identified was the difficulties in restoring power supply. The houses that were completely inundated would have to be rewired on a war footing. The IEEE Kerala Section launched a massive drive for Electricity Reconnection under the Jala Jyothi Programme, to restore power using temporary distribution boards. The project includes design, mass production and installation of a low-cost electric distribution board as a minimum power outlet. This would allow the affected, still in relief camps, to return home for cleaning and sanitization. The IEEE Kerala section’s indigenous design of temporary distribution boards, was approved by the state electricity board and it was decided to distribute 500 such boards to the worst affected.
NIT Trichy Director, Dr Mini Shaji Thomas, put together a team of faculty, staff, students and alumni to accomplish the task of fabrication based on the approved design. Sajas Electricals, founded by Jayaram Sadasivam, an alumnus allowed his facility for making the boards. The students of NIT Trichy contributed Rs 5,32,000 towards this noble cause. The Alumni Association of NIT Trichy has also promised an additional amount of Rs. 2,00,000 for the fabrication of the boards. Besides mobilizing funds, the student volunteers also set about assembling the components. The IEEE Indian Office Director, Mr Harish Mysore, Mr. Amarnath Raja of the Kerala Section and Prof. Bakthavatsalam of NIT Trichy coordinated the project.
The first fabricated board was handed over to the IEEE Kerala Section Chair Prof. Sameer by the Director, Dr Mini Shaji Thomas, during the IEEE Women in Engineering International Leadership Summit, on 7th September 2018, where she was the Keynote speaker. The fabrication and the assembling of the 500 boards is almost complete at Sajas Electricals, Trichy and will be dispatched soon to Kerala.
Earlier, a cheque of Rs. 10,09,514, was handed to the District Collector, Ernakulum, Mr. M. Y Safirullah by Dr. Mini Shaji Thomas. The amount was NIT Trichy’s contribution to the Chief Minister’s Distress Relief Fund.
