Kolkata, September 25, 2026: Safety must move beyond being a regulatory requirement to become a business imperative, governance priority and moral responsibility, said Shri Koushik Chowdhury, Hon’ble Minister of State, Department of Fire & Emergency Services and School Education, Government of West Bengal, while addressing the 20th CII Safety Symposium & Exhibition organised by the CII Eastern Region in Kolkata.
Highlighting West Bengal’s safety priorities, Shri Chowdhury outlined a three-pillar roadmap towards achieving “Zero Harm”. The first pillar, Safety by Design, calls for integrating fire-detection systems and electrical infrastructure at the planning and approval stage, with prevention being more effective and less costly than corrective measures.
The second pillar, Smart Compliance, focuses on creating a more efficient and predictable licensing ecosystem through time-bound applications, risk-based inspections and recognition of high-performing facilities. The third pillar, Continuous Readiness, emphasises regular third-party safety audits, electrical-load assessments and evacuation drills, particularly at hazardous facilities.
The Minister also stressed the importance of safety education, calling for stronger partnerships between government, industry and academia to train community first responders and create greater safety awareness among young people.
Mr Rajiv Mangal, Chairman, CII Eastern Region Safety Subcommittee and Vice President, Safety, Health & Sustainability, Tata Steel Ltd., said the symposium aims to share industry best practices, showcase the latest safety equipment and technologies, and explore ways to bring Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) into the wider safety journey. He noted that Eastern India, with its strong presence of mining, metals, large industries, infrastructure and logistics, represents a diverse range of sectors.
Mr Mangal added that the event marked the culmination of a year-long safety assessment process. According to him, the platform has evolved into both a learning forum and a feedback mechanism, recognising organisations performing well in safety while providing guidance for improvement.
Mr Saikat Basu, CEO & Founder, Consultivo Business Solutions Pvt Ltd., said the 20th CII Safety Symposium & Exhibition provided an important platform for sharing best practices, showcasing innovations and recognising achievements in workplace safety.
He stated that 90 organisations from six states participated in this year’s assessment process, with the majority coming from West Bengal, followed by Jharkhand and Odisha. Manufacturing units formed the largest group, while mining, construction and services also recorded significant participation. The assessment covered large, medium and small-scale industries, although participation from small-scale industries could be strengthened further.
Mr Basu further said that the assessment identified 24 best practices, which will be made freely available on the CII website, along with 77 good practices identified overall. These findings are intended to promote knowledge-sharing and continuous learning through the symposium’s awards and recognition programme.
The second day of the symposium witnessed the Safety, Health & Environment (SHE) Excellence Awards, along with participation from key stakeholders across the industry. The CII Safety Symposium & Exhibition Exhibitor Directory was also launched during the event.
Photo Caption
Left to Right: Mr Saikat Basu, CEO & Founder, Consultivo Business Solutions Pvt Ltd, Shri Koushik Chowdhury, Hon’ble Minister of State, Department of Fire & Emergency Services and School Education, Government of West Bengal, Mr Rajiv Mangal, Chairman CII Eastern Region Safety Subcommittee & Vice President Safety, Health & Sustainability, Tata Steel Ltd, Mr Abhishek Jaiswal, Deputy Director, CII
