15. The Indian Boilers (Amendment) Bill

* The Indian Boilers (Amendment) Bill The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar (Labour Member), Sir, I move :

“That the Bill further to amend the Indian Boilers Act, 1923, be taken into consideration.”

This measure is a very simple measure. It is a non-controversial measure and it does not involve any matter of principle. Having regard to these considerations, I do not propose to deal at any very great length in explaining the provisions of the Bill. It will be sufficient if I tell the house the circumstances which have led Government to bring in this amending Bill. Briefly, the circumstances are these.

On the 23rd February 1942 there occurred in a mill in Bombay a boiler accident which resulted in a very serious loss of life. When this accident occurred, an enquiry was made by the Government of Bombay in order to ascertain the cause of this accident. It was found as a result of the enquiry that the explosion was due to something that was wrong in the apparatus which is called an “economiser”. To put it specifically, it was pointed out that the tubes of the economiser, which I understand are technically called “feed pipes”, had been weakened as a result of long internal corrosion. This result of the enquiry came as a matter of surprise to Government because under the Indian Boilers Act, 1923 there is a provision made for the Boiler Inspector to regularly inspect boilers and issue certificates that the boilers were in working order. The question arises as to how the boiler Inspector permitted himself to issue a certificate, knowing that the feed pipes of the economiser had become unfit for work. It was then found out that having regard to the regulations issued under section 28 of the Indian Boilers Act, it was not the duly of the boiler Inspector to examine the feed pipes or any other auxiliary apparatus that was connected with

*Legislative Assembly Debates (Central), Vol. III, 29th July 1943, pp. 176-77.

the boiler, and it is because of this fact that the feed pipes were not examined in the case of this particular boiler which exploded. It is to remove this lacuna that the present amending Bill has been brought in.

The present Bill makes two amendments. The first amendment is to introduce a new clause ( cc) to section 2, which is an interpretation clause. It adds a new term called “feed pipe” and defines what is a feed pipe. The second amendment is to enlarge the scope of what is called a “steam-pipe”. According to the law as it stands to-day, the steam-pipe means the main pipe only and under the amendment the steam-pipe will now include not only the main pipe but also the feedpipe. After this amendment has been carried, it would be possible for Government to amend the regulations framed under section 28 in order to make it obligatory upon the Boiler Inspector not only to examine the steam-pipes but also the feed-pipes. It is because of this that the present Bill has been brought in. Sir, I move that the Bill be taken into consideration.

Mr. President (The Honourable Sir Abdur Rahim): Motion moved :

“That the Bill further to amend the Indian Boilers Act, 1923, be taken into consideration”.

Mr. C.C. Miller (Bengal: European): There is one small point on which I would seek enlightenment from the Honourable Member. It relates to the system of feed-pipes known as the economiser. This is an adjunct to but not an essential part of a boiler and I take it that the Inspector would not be legaly entitled to refuse a certificate for a boiler being in good condition because of there being some defect in the feedpipes provided the owner undertook to disconnect the feed-pipes ? The Honourable Dr. B.R. Ambedkar : My friend will understand that it is not possible for me to give a categorical answer, but as I am advised, he is quite correct in making the assumption that he has made.

Mr. President (The Honourable Sir Abdur Rahim): The question is:

“That the Bill further to amend the Indian Boilers Act, 1923, be taken into consideration.”

The motion was adopted.

THE INDIAN BOILERS (AMENDMENT) BILL

Clauses 2 and 3 were added to the Bill. Clause 1 was added to the Bill. The Title and the Preamble were added to the Bill. The Honourable Dr. B.R. Ambedkar : I move that the Bill be passed. Mr. President (The Honourable Sir Abdur Rahim) : The question is :

“That the bill be passed.”

The motion was adopted. zz