World Standards Day was observed in Dehradun on Saturday with stress being laid on the people’s awareness about the importance of standardisation in the global economy. Addressing the programme organised by Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), Dehradun branch to mark the day, the State’s principal secretary Anand Bardhan said that international standards would support smooth and integrated smart city development. “At the same time, it would bring a positive changes not just in terms of economic concern but in environmental and social perspective as well,” he said.
The aim of World Standards Day is to raise awareness among regulators, industry, consumers and society at large about the importance of standardisation in the fast- changing global economic scenario, said a BIS official.
In his inaugural address, Bardhan explained the theme of this year’s world standards day — ‘standards make cities smarter’. He elaborated on the importance of the standards while hailing the initiatives of BIS in the area of standardisation.
SK Sahana, scientist and head, BIS, Dehradun branch, informed that delegates from 25 countries had gathered in london on October 14, 1946, and consequently decided to create an international organisation to facilitate standardisation. “This day is specially chosen to express gratitude to the efforts of thousands of experts globally who contribute to develop the standards,” he said.
He also apprised those gathered about the standardisation-related works being carried out by BIS in various fields, including product, service sector and certification schemes being operated by the bureau. He emphasised that the growth in number of licenses in various sectors under different schemes is in itself an indicator of the confidence of the industry, consumers and people at large in the standards.
He further elaborated upon the benefits of international standards by citing various examples. He said that with use of standards, cities can be made smarter, step by step. international standards make things work safely and smoothly together at every level in the cities, he affirmed.
The poster released on the World Standards Day 2017 on the theme of ‘standards make cities smarter’ was also displayed during the function.