Seeking quality where none exists
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Sudhakaran Nair, president of Indian Plumbing Association, talks on the much-neglected area of work
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Sudhakaran Nair
It takes five years of academic study and another three years of field experience for a candidate to become a master plumber in the U.S. How are things in India? Though plumbing practices were present in the ancient days, “we lost the message in between,” says Sudhakaran Nair, president of the Indian Plumbing Association (IPA) and an executive board member of the World Plumbing Council. He has been in the profession for the last 38 years.
“Plumbing is a critical but neglected area in the country,” opines Mr. Nair. It has a direct impact on the health and safety of the common man. The WHO had said that poor plumbing was one likely reason for the spread of the SARS virus.
The IPA formed a core committee and drafted the Uniform Plumbing Code. It was released a few months ago and will be revised every three years. “We have elaborated and given additional inputs in the code. Awareness is needed on better plumbing activities.
It is a part of engineering,” Mr. Sudhakaran says. The association has started educating the public, stake-holders and the Government departments on the code.
Another major initiative of the association is a formal training programme. Though we have a large number of plumbers, they need formal education.
“We will join hands with polytechnics and colleges to offer courses in plumbing: engineers (1 year), construction supervisor (1 year) and master plumber (2 years). We have plans for distance education too.”
By December this year, the association hopes to be ready with the training.
M. SOUNDARIYA PREETHA
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