NT NETWORK
VASCO
Massive soil erosion and rough weather condition have taken a toll on the multi-purpose underground petroleum pipeline of Zuari Indian Oil Tanking Ltd (ZIOTL) with a portion along the Baina coast getting exposed triggering fear in the minds of people in the vicinity.
The pipeline supplies petroleum products from IOC terminus to ZIOTL atop Sancoale plateau. The Baina coast is being battered by strong winds since the last few days and people in the vicinity got a shock of their lives on Friday morning after they found the pipeline exposed.
A resident of Katem Baina said that many people are oblivious of the dangers in event of pipeline developing cracks and some people even took a stroll on the pipeline. He recalled the major fire tragedy at Varunapuri Mangor-Hill junction in 2011, which raged on for almost a month at Dactolem. He said that the government authorities have been apprised about the Baina incident.
Deputy collector and sub-divisional magistrate Mormugao Gaurish Shankhwalkar, taking strong cognizance of the exposed pipeline, intimated ZIOTL authorities who in turn assured to maintain safety along the exposed pipeline. He said, “The ZIOTL authorities have revealed that they have appointed security personnel who are guarding the pipeline round the clock. ZIOTL has assured safety of the pipeline and it would not harm people.”
Meanwhile, Shankhwalkar has forwarded a report to the South Goa District Collector Swapnil Naik on hutments which got washed away due to the rough weather condition at Katem-Baina late evening on Thursday. He said, “I have apprised the District Collector that all the hutments along Baina coast are in danger of getting washed away thereby endangering the lives of the occupants and the only option with the state administration is to remove them.”
Meanwhile, Power Minister Milind Naik disclosed that it is not possible to interrupt as the matter is sub-judice adding, “The Goa State Coastal Zone Management Authority has already issued final notices of demolition to the huts for violating CRZ norms. The state government is being wrongly held responsible for the demolition by some people having vested interest.”