Tawde clears proposal to issue show cause notice to BPCL

Tawde clears proposal to issue show cause notice to BPCL
HERALD REPORTER
MARGAO, FEB 7  
Taking serious cognizance of the fiasco in attending the ill-fated Aviation Turbine fuel tanker at Ambora-Loutolim by the oil officials, the Chief Executive Officer of South Goa District Disaster Management Authority has cleared a proposal to issue show cause notice to Bharat Petroleum company officials for their alleged criminal negligence in tackling the tanker disaster.
SGDDMA CEO Y B Tawde has cleared the note put up by Deputy Collector Johnson Fernandes on Monday to issue a notice on the oil company officials to further show cause why they should not be made to bear expenses amounting to Rs 29.54 lakh in salvaging the ill-fated tanker transporting Aviation Turbine fuel as well as to aver a major disaster at Ambora-Loutolim on Sunday.
The decision assumes significance given that the deputy collector’s report speaks of damage caused to khazan land admeasuring 1.72 lakh square meters, besides the environment.
“I have cleared the note put up by the deputy collector. Appropriate action will now be initiated against the oil company officials”, Tawde told Herald.
In his note, the deputy collector said that BPCL was duty bound to immediately take action following the mishap, saying “in any eventuality, especially pertaining to hazardous chemicals and fuel tankers, the company is responsible for the entire journey from the starting point till the destination”.
Johnson has named four officials, including Executive officer Rajesh Jain, Station Manager, Mahavir Kerketa Territorial Manager, Rajnikant Pate and the driver of the ill-fated tanker for action, saying they are may be jointly and severally, liable, upon conduct of investigations.
The report said that in spite of having knowledge about the incident, the BPCL officials have failed to respond in time nor did they take appropriate steps to remove the tanker. “Had it been anything else, it could have resulted into a major catastrophe. Nevertheless, the ATF which has spilled into the nearby paddy fields has damaged land admeasuring 1.72 lakh square meters. The khazan land over the past many years has been used traditionally for fishing purpose and the spillage of ATF into the same has resulted in damage to the eco-system as well as causing loss to the fish bred in the khazan land”, the report stated.
The report has called for penalizing the BPCL officials for the acts of omissions and commissions under the Environment Protection Act, under the Disaster Management Act and under the IPC for having destroyed the paddy fields, who have failed to responds as per the off site disaster management plan and for playing with the lives of the people.