The Hindu Business Line : US body offers expertise to tackle corrosion

Corrosion woes
India loses about Rs 36,000 crore per annum due to corrosion.
NACE holds workshops, seminars, training programmes to create awareness on corrosion in infrstructure.

Kolkata , March 15

The Houston-headquartered National Association of Corrosion Engineers (NACE) has offered to bring to India its global expertise in the area of corrosion mitigation with a view to ensuring that infrastructure that is being created across the country lasts its full lifespan and the scarce resources spent are not wasted on account of premature corrosion.

A NACE initiative in this regard, that was unveiled during a national conference last year, has been consented to by the Union Ministry of Surface Transport, Mr Rajan Bahri, NACE Trustee in India, said in an interview to Business Line.

"We have offered to share with the Ministry our global expertise in the area of corrosion mitigation with a view to ensuring that infrastructure created lasts its full life of 90-100 years," he said.

According to Mr Bahri, India loses about Rs 36,000 crore per annum on account of corrosion and it is absolutely imperative to contain this national loss.

The savings to the nation on account of appropriate corrosion mitigation initiatives will be manifold.

"The structure won't corrode prematurely and, hence, there will be no expenditure on premature repairs. Further, expenditure on replacements would be minimised," he said.

Mr Bahri said India as a nation has been investing heavily in infrastructure such as roads, ports, dams, highways, bridges and power plants.

Civil construction has always comprised a major chunk of all our Five Year Plans.

As such, it would be imperative to ensure that infrastructure that is created across the country "lives its full life and scarce resources that are spent on them are not wasted on account of premature corrosion."

Mr Bahri said NACE was concerned that the infrastructure on which money was being spent was being done so without adequate protection from corrosion.

"The infrastructure that we create has to be protected from corrosion by usage of right technology. It's a pity we have not learnt from the mistakes of the past in this regard," Mr Bahri said, adding that the technology deployed in India "is not in vogue anywhere in the world but widely used here on one consideration - that it is economical."

According to him, NACE was focused on creating awareness about corrosion in infrastructure.

This is being done by holding workshops, training programmes, seminars and exhibitions, Mr Bahri said.

More Stories on : Infrastructure | Science & Technology | Steel

Article E-Mail :: Comment :: Syndication :: Printer Friendly Page

Stories in this Section
Is aviation safety taking a back seat?

US body offers expertise to tackle corrosion

Kolkata okays construction of two new jetties

Denial of ST exemption to CPT project draws flak

`Project Kochi as big brand'

Gati launches Chennai to Colombo box service

Rlys to let pvt players set up rail-side warehouses

Lorry strike hits tea movement in Coonoor

ISO award for Mangalore airport

Steamer agents' body elections