------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Documented by Goa Desc Resource Centre Ph:2252660 Website: www.goadesc.org Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Press Clippings on the web: http://www.goadesc.org/mem/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- LPG tanker accident: Navelim Consumer Forum expresses concern ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Navelim Civic and Consumer Forum expresses grave concern about the handling of the accident involving the LPG tanker at Bellem- Navelim. The tanker carrying LPG from Mangalore to Binani Glass Fibre at Colvale in Bardez turned turtle on Friday night and has remained on the roadside for three days.
The NCCF members who visited the site have found that although the tanker has a load of 35,000 kgs of LPG which if ignited by an accident could cause a resultant disaster affecting an area across 10 kms. there has been no urgency to remove the same.
NCCF notes that while a tanker which fell near the M/s Sai Service, the Maruti Showroom and the Goa Legislative Assembly Complex in Porvorim had the North Goa Collector personally surpervise the removal of the tanker within 10 hours of the accident, the residents at Navelim have not got the same attention in South Goa from the Goa Govt. offficials.
Besides the personnel of the lone Fire brigade, it was noticed that no Traffic Police cordon has been maintained along the road and none of the company officials of neither the ELF Gas nor the Binani Fibre Glass are present round the clock at the accident site.
NCCF queries into the delay in getting a crane to remove the LPG tanker from the site reveals that the Company officials are trying to cut costs by not hiring a local crane which would charge around Rs.50,000/- while the present Crane brought from Kumta is supposed to be doing the job for Rs.12,000/-. Thus endangering the life and property of the neighbouring villagers for a few thousand Rupees.
NCCF inspection of the site revealed that no precautions have been taken with regards the overhead electricity wires in the vicinity. It may be noted that the huge trailer tanker is lying just a couple of metres below live electricity wires passing over head.
The NCCF is also concerned that the various officials have also not worked out an emergency plan with the concerned Panchayat of Talaulim as the accident has occurred within its jurisdiction.
NCCF has also further noted that although the village Panchayats of Navelim,Talaulim and Aquem-Baixo are along the National Highway 17 a route through which various hazardous substances are being transported, the Department of Factories and Boilers has not conducted the mandatory awareness sessions on this subject for the residents of these villages.
In the absence of a bypass for Margao, these tankers carrying various hazardous substances pass through narrow internal village roads specially Ravanfond- Navelim Church road which are residential areas and not meant for heavy traffic.
The awareness program is supposed to cover the information with regards the various types of hazardous substances being transported and the various emergency procedures to be undertaken in case of an emergency. Moreover the program is also supposed to cover Disaster Management issues pertaining to the agencies such as the police, fire & emergency personnel, medical personnel of the concerned Primary Health Centre and the local Village Panchayat members.
NCCF will write to the Collector South Goa District with regards the Disaster Management Plan prepared for such eventualities and the various agencies that are supposed to co-ordinate efforts in such circumstances.
NCCF hopes that the deficiencies noted in the present accident case involving the LPG tanker are examined and the Goa Government officials concerned evolve a proper Disaster Management Plan and Quick Response Mechanism and haul up the negligent company officials.
----------------------------------------------- Source: Press Release 1/3/04 Navelim Civic and Consumer Forum -----------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------- GOA CIVIC AND CONSUMER ACTION NETWORK --------------------------------------------------------------------------- an initiative of GOA DESC RESOURCE CENTRE to promote civic and consumer rights in Goa --------------------------------------------------------------------------- GOACAN Post Box 78 Mapusa, Goa 403 507 Tel: 2252660 mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] website: www.goacan.org ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
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