VASCO: Petrol is normally a treasure, but litres of bubbling petrol seeping in the groundwater from leaked pipes, is a time bomb waiting to explode.
Tempers flared up at Matvem-Dabolim as residents along with Chicalim panchayat member Neelam Naik on Tuesday confronted officials of the Zuari Indian Oil Tanking Company Limited (ZIOTPL) over the continuing contamination of groundwater due to leakage of petro products.
The residents were agitated over contamination of water from wells, nullahs and other water sources which they said had been occurring over more than 10 days.
Naik, who had filed a police complaint last week, rued that the police were yet to register an FIR and start an investigation. She said more than 50 tankers of contaminated water have been removed by the company so far.
Pointing to the contamination of wells, streams, nullahs and fields in the village, Naik said, “We are sitting on a time bomb. Authorities are saying that the situation is under control. But the contamination is continuing to spread and the entire area is smelling of a petroleum product.” While demanding a written assurance from the company officials regarding the safety of the residents, Naik also demanded that the company station emergency vehicles 24 x 7 in the area.
Expressing concern over the alarming situation, the residents have appealed to the authorities to take speedy corrective measures as the prevailing condition may result in a disaster.
Mormugao Mamlatdar Pravinjay Pandit told villagers that ZIOTCL officials have assured the Matvem residents that the issue will be resolved within the next two days.
The State administration along with officials of ZIOTCL officials and the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) had already conducted joint inspection of the wells in the area and another joint inspection will be carried out on Wednesday. Following reports of the inspections from GSPCB, if the company is found guilty, strict action will be initiated against them, Pandit said.
GSPCB chairman Mahesh Patil told O Heraldo that the water sample collected by the Board “contained a petroleum product, which could be either petrol, diesel or naphtha”. “The affected pipeline has been shut and the company is using a different technology to locate the point of leakage. Today I was informed by the company officials that they brought sniffer dogs from Punjab to help pinpoint the leakage and the dog squad will be pressed into service on Wednesday. However, the possibility of replacing the entire pipeline has been ruled out,” said Patil.
ZIOTPL chief executive officer Shriprasad Nayak said that all safety measures have been taken and that the company will provide water through tankers to affected residents in the area.
The ZIOTPL officials claimed that the leaking petroleum pipeline, which is the potential cause of contamination, has been closed since November 22 and that no fresh pumping of petroleum products has been done since then through the pipeline.
He said that the water bodies will be cleared of contamination and only after full line test and administrative clearance will the pipeline be opened for cargo.
