Demand to shift pump gains momentum
Yavatmal   16-Nov-2010

On Saturday, there was a sudden fire in Central Petrol pump of IndianOil in the vicinity of ST bus stand. One of the machines was gutted in the fire. Though it was brought under control in half-an-hour by the city fire tenders and a large-scale disaster was averted, but panic spread in the area.

Now, the demand for immediate shifting of both the petrol pumps - Central Petrol Pump of Bhanudas Iyer and Bombaywalah petrol pump of Bombaywalah brothers - has gained momentum.

On Monday social activist Digambar Pajgade met the collector and the superintendent of police and urged them to shift the two petrol pumps. He said that if it was not done he will file a public interest litigation (PIL) in high court. He also urged the government to take action against those responsible for flouting the rules of sanctioning and operating the petrol pumps.

Pajgade alleged, "Both the pumps are located in the busiest area of the town and there are no adequate safety measures to combat any eventuality of fire like the one which occurred on Saturday."

It may be recalled that there were three petrol pumps adjacent to each other just in front of the ST bus stand and a few metres away from the square between two national highways passing through the city. But, one of the pumps was forced to shift out of the city while the remaining two were allowed to operate. The pump that caught fire is situated on plot number 9/1 of sheet No.38 and admeasures 6295 sq ft and was given on lease from 1965.

In 1992, the then SDO of Yavatmal T Chandrashekhar had re-assessed the lease amount and asked the proprietor to pay Rs 1,77,047 and renewed his lease up to 2021. But, the then collector HR Kulkarni set aside the order and issued a fresh order to the SDO to pass further order on the basis of the objections raised by the district town planner.

The collector had clearly stated in his order dated March 22, 1993 that the lease could not be renewed after 1.8.96 and the proprietor should find alternative place. Later the collector Rajiv Jalota sealed the petrol pumps for some time in 1996 and directed the proprietors to shift their respective pumps outside the city. However, it was followed only by one proprietor and the other two managed to stay on.

Another activist Mohan Waghmare said, "Since the two pumps are in the vicinity of the ST bus stand, they should be immediately be shifted or closed down."