New Delhi, July 10 -- Safety and disaster preparedness have become important issues for India as the nation continues on its industrialisation and urbanisation path, which were the key topics discussed during the 5th edition of the largest exhibition and conference held by India on industrial safety, fire safety and disaster management, UFSEC 2026, starting at India Expo Centre & Mart in Greater Noida.
The event, which is being organised by PHD Chamber of Commerce & Industry (PHDCCI) in collaboration with Safety Appliances Manufacturers Association (SAMA), gathered key government representatives, policymakers, industry leaders and safety experts for discussion about ways of building the resilience of the industrial environment in India using technological advances, policy reforms and enhanced regulations.
As the state of Uttar Pradesh has been positioning itself as a fast-growing industrial and manufacturing centre in India, the discussion at the conference emphasised the rising focus of the state on the development of advanced safety infrastructure and fire preparedness and disaster resilience in urban development. It was stated that the safety requirements will be critical for the state, as it continues receiving large investments within programs such as Invest UP.
IPS officer Kalpana Saxena delivered the keynote address, calling for a comprehensive strategy towards disaster preparedness, highlighting the necessity of ensuring safety and environmental sustainability in the development agenda of the country. Additional District Magistrate Ajeet Kumar, Gautam Budh Nagar, highlighted the significance of strict enforcement of safety norms along with increased public awareness as the cities witness a phase of rapid redevelopment.
The conference witnessed some highly insightful deliberations on the subject of safety leadership in hazardous sectors as well as the significance of Industry 4.0 technologies in revolutionising the HSE practices in the oil and gas industry. The importance of utilising artificial intelligence, internet of things (IoT), drones, predictive analysis, and continuous training of the workforce was reiterated by the experts.
Hemant Sapra and Vivek Agarwal from PHDCCI stressed the significance of collaboration within industries, policy advocacy, and technological innovations for enhancing workplace safety. Lalit Gabane, the Director-General of National Safety Council, emphasised that making "Surakshit Bharat" a reality will be a necessity for making Viksit Bharat 2047 possible.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.