Post-IOC, oil min to review safety norms

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Mumbai: Even as the fire at the Indian Oil Corp’s depot in Jaipur is continuing to rage for the fifth day, petroleum minister Murli Deora has called for a crucial meeting on Tuesday to take an in-depth review of the safety preparedness at the installations of the oil companies across the country. The meeting, which will be attended by the state-run and private oil companies, will also review international best practices and standards.

“The meeting will be convened on Tuesday against the backdrop of fire at IOC’s depot in Jaipur. We will take a look at the preparedness and seek suggestions for further corrective measures,” Deora told FE.

The fire that broke out last Thursday has taken 12 lives, injured 150 more and destroyed properties worth Rs 300 crore till Monday. According to an IOC official, the fire has destroyed and caused infrastructure damage to at least 200 small and big industries in and around the site. IOC has made alternate arrangements for supply to areas that were receiving products from this terminal.

Meanwhile, a seven-member committee, set up by Deora and headed by chairman and managing director of HPCL MB Lal, visited the site and the fire-affected areas and talked to people to collect first hand information about the blaze. Probe committee members also interacted with the fire officials who were the first to reach the site on October 29. The team has to submit the report within six weeks.

The meeting on Tuesday will be attended by Reliance, Essar, Shell, British Petroleum, Cairn India and the oil industry safety director (OISD), along with ONGC, Gail and oil marketing companies like IOC, BPCL and HPCL. The issue of providing statutory powers to OISD is expected to come up during the meeting. Once OISD gets the power, it will be in a position to carry out surprise checks and take penal action against companies which violates safety standards. OISD is expected to make a presentation on standards in petroleum rules and guidelines available on disaster preparedness.

The minister of state for petroleum, Jitin Prasad, has also ordered a safety audit of all the oil installations and their delivery system, fuel storage tanks, pipelines and tanker trucks in the country