Koyali fire an eye-opener: IndianOil to step up security at refineries
Vadodara   21-Oct-2010

IndianOil (IOCL) will enhance security at all its refineries following the fire at the borough pit in Koyali refinery this June.

Sources said though the damage was negligible, the fire near Vadodara drew attention as it was the second in a row after the fire at IOCL’s Jaipur installation.

Though it was proved that Western Railway had dumped chemical waste in the pit for years together, the company paid a heavy price as the land belonged to it.

Incidentally, the district magistrate had even formed a special inquiry committee to probe the specific reasons behind the fire.

The incident has now turned out to be an eye-opener for the petroleum giant.

B N Bankapur, Director (Refineries), IOCL, said: “Any accident is taken seriously at IOCL as safety is of utmost importance. The incident at Koyali was sensitive in terms of keeping vigil over our land. We were not too worried about that patch of land since it was outside the battery area (factory area) and it was beyond our imagination that such a large quantity of chemical waste was dumped there without our knowledge. We would now take preventive measures.”

The company has already decided to take stock of the land.

“There are additional pieces of land and we have decided to ensure proper safety and security wherever we have our refineries. Though we have followed all the parameters and instructions after the fire at the Koyali refinery, we feel that preventive measures are the best to avoid any such instances in future,” Bankapur told The Indian Express.

IOCL has refineries at Digboi (Upper Assam), Guwahati (Assam), Barauni, Gujarat, Haldia, Mathura, Panipat and Bongaigaon.