Aligarh: The Vice Chancellor of Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), Prof. P. K. Abdul Azis recently inaugurated a two day All India Seminar on 'Ergonomics for Improved Productivity' organized by the Department of Mechanical Engineering and the Institution of Engineers (India) Aligarh Local Chapter at the Zakir Husain College of Engineering and Technology.

He also released the proceedings and in his address, Prof. Azis stressed on ergonomics being a 'topic of universal significance'.

Prof. Gaur C. Ray, Head, Industrial Design Centre at Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Bombay said that, "The Science of ergonomics is totally focused on productivity which means the effectiveness of productive effort whether at home or in the agricultural sectors, industry, in air or land or under water, the primary concern is the output , the productivity."

Prof. Ray said that Indian ladies look beautiful and gorgeous when clad in sari but the same sari takes life away when it gets entangled with the rear wheel drive system of a two wheeler.

"We killed thousands of ladies before the sari guard came under enforcement. Wearing sari also restricts them from sitting spread-legged on a scooter. This results in mis-balancing the scooter leading to a fall and accident," he added.

Last year the Karnataka High Court gave a verdict that ladies riding a scooter should not wear sari which will reduce the number of accidents. Unfortunately, the design of scooter is a borrowed design from west that does not fit into Indian situation.

He urged the delegates to spread the message of good ergonomics among the common mass and ergonomics does not cost your money. It needs thinking before beginning the design, good ergonomics means good design, and good design means better productivity and better economics.

Dr. M. Muzammil, Coordinator of the Seminar said that, "The Indian people appear to be not much aware about ergonomics and it is being used just as a marketing tool without really understanding the need for it. The reason may be that the human resource is available in abundance leading to a situation where employees do not bother much about the badly designed products and the working environment."

Dr. Muzammil said that 93 million working days are lost each year due to inquiries for the poor ergonomics conditions typically involve the bones, muscles, joints, tendons and nerves.

He pointed out that ergonomics has the potential of becoming a driving force for the development of new quality management strategies.

Earlier Prof. S. M. A. Rizvi, Chairman, Department of Mechanical Engineering welcomed the delegates from all parts of the country. Prof. Hamiduddin, Dean, Faculty of Engineering & Technology, Prof. M. T. Ahmad, Principal, Zakir Husain College of Engineering & Technology, Mr. S. L. Sharma, Founder Chairman, Institute of Engineers, Local Chapter and Prof. S. H. Mohsin, former Dean, Faculty of Engineering & Technology also addressed the inaugural function. Prof. S. S. Nabi, Secretary, Institute of Engineers, Aligarh Local Chapter concluded the ceremony with vote of thanks.