WR asks petroleum majors to ensure leakage-proof wagons to avert mishaps
Vadodara   30-Jul-2010

Western Railway has asked major refineries to take care of leakages while loading and unloading petroleum products to avoid any accident.

The fire at the burrow pit of IndianOil (IOCL) on June 22 had exposed several loopholes in the area. Initially, IOCL had denied any lapses on its part, later it took action against its officials for negligence after an inquiry was conducted.

A separate inquiry was conducted by the district collector-appointed committee, in which both IOCL and WR authorities were found guilty for neglecting the emergency plan.

During the investigation it was also found that WR, Vadodara Division, was found cleaning the wagons carrying petroleum products close to the IOCL's burrow pit and the effluents were systematically channelised to the burrow pit by using a stormwater channel.

In the subsequent orders issued by the committee, WR was asked to check the capacity and functioning of the effluent treatment plant which is near the yard.

"It is true that the wagons were cleaned near the place where the fire broke out. But it was just a coincidence that the effluent went till the burrow pit through a stormwater channel and we have already covered it. We have also issued letters to the refineries to ensure that there is no leakage on their part," said A K Srivastava, Vadodara Divisional Railway Manager, WR.

WR handles two different streams of goods traffic. One comes from the south and is received at Surat from Bombay division. The north supply comes from Ratlam division and is received at Godhra.

The downward stream of traffic comprises petroleum, oil and lubricants, which is loaded from Kawas, fertilizer is loaded by KRIBHCO at Hazira and by GNFC and Indo-Gulf at Bharuch.

Srivastav added, "We have asked the refineries to check that all the valves are tightly shut because in most cases it happens that petroleum products overflow or leak from the valves."