Diesel leakage from HPCL depot triggers panic at Elathur
The Hindu
Local residents protest HPCL depot negligence after diesel leakage, demand legal action for safety hazard.
A group of local residents and members of the Democratic Youth Federation of India staged a protest in front of the Elathur depot of the Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) on Wednesday (December 4) following the leakage of diesel in huge quantity to the nearby drainages after an emergency maintenance work.
About five barrels of leaked fuel were collected from the drains near the depot with the support of HPCL workers and local people following the incident which was reported to the Fire and Rescue Service squads around 5.30 p.m.
The protesters alleged that the negligence on the part of the maintenance workers created a huge security threat in the locality. They also claimed that the leakage was a constant issue in the area even after it was brought to the attention of the HPCL authorities.
“We were in a situation to collect the leaked fuel using buckets and plastic bottles to avert the safety hazard. There should be strong legal action against the persons behind the negligence,” said a local resident who came in support of the Fire and Rescue squad at the spot. He also alleged that even the Public Works department officials were aware of similar incidents in the past at the same spot.
The protesters also alleged that no helpline numbers of the HPCL’s Elathur depot mentioned on the official portal of the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas were found operational for enquiring about safety measures. People then called the police for emergency intervention, they said.
Police officers from Elathur station said they adopted all possible safety measures in the area soon after confirming the leakage. The HPCL workers were also very upset and disinclined to talk following the mounting protest and reactions from the public, they said adding that the failure of an overflow alert mechanism was reportedly the reason behind the accidental fuel leakage.
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