A leak in an underground oil pipeline in the
densely-populated north Chennai locality of Tondiarpet on Saturday
evening, sparked tensions and set off panic, as oil companies took time
to react and clear the fuel spill on Kummalamman Street.
Residents
said the leak had first been noticed in the afternoon, but many thought
it was sewage. The police was notified by 4 p.m. and later, the area
was cordoned off. The police threw mud on the oil that had spread due to
vehicles driving over it.
“Several two-wheelers
skidded on the oil patch. I have been running a shop here for over six
years now, but I didn’t know there was an underground pipeline here. If
someone threw a lit cigarette or beedi, the oil might have caught fire.
Who is to be held responsible in such cases?” said J. Dominic, a
shopkeeper in the area.
C. Ramesh, who runs a lathe,
said this was the first time such a leak had occurred on the street.
“As soon as the leak was noticed, a fire tender should have been rushed
here. But until 7 p.m., nothing happened. It has left residents
worried,” he said.
The police asked several shops
including the lathe and a grille-making firm to stop work, as sparks
from these establishments could lead to a fire. At the grille-making
shop, Vasanthakumar said until the oil was removed and the leak plugged,
they would not be able to work as it would be dangerous.
Residents
said officials of Chennai Petroleum Corporation Limited (CPCL), whose
product was being moved through the pipeline that belonged to Indian Oil
Corporation (IOC), arrived in the area by 6.30 p.m.
A
portion of the leaked oil was scooped up from the spot later. A company
official said that fuel oil (furnace oil) was being pumped through the
pipeline.
“The oil was being pumped from the CPCL
refinery in Manali to the IOC FST in Royapuram. It was being pumped at a
5 kg pressure. But around 3.45 p.m., we noticed a drop in the pressure.
It could have been due to a reduction in temperature. A small leak
seems to have sprung up,” the source said.
CPCL
director (operations), S. Venkatramana, said IOC had recently carried
out a pressure test on this line. He said a maintenance team from IOC
was rushed to the spot and took steps to remove the oil. The work to
plug the leak would be completed overnight, he added.
Meanwhile,
fishermen belonging to various associations staged a protest at the
spot. They wanted to know how safe such oil pipelines were. CPCL has
proposed replacing the existing crude oil pipeline from Chennai Port to
its refinery in Manali.
M.D. Dayalan, president,
India Meenavar Sangam said the company had claimed that stringent safety
measures would be put in place to prevent leaks.
“They had said the response would be quick. But that did not happen here,” he alleged.
Company officials however, disputed the residents’ charge that it took long for the team to respond.
Source: http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/article3901745.ece
