The Indian Oil Corporation’s bottling plant in Udayamperoor seems to be embroiled in not one but multiple complaints and security lapses, be it storage, transportation or safety. Here is a look at some of the key issues faced by the plant.
Underground Storage Plant
A year after the IOC officials had prepared a project to increase the underground storage capacity of the plant, sources told ‘City Express’ that the project is yet to take off.
Now the plant has 10 tanker bullets having a 110-tonnes LPG storage capacity.
“The IOC officials had planned to launch the project to cater to the bulk transportation, for in the current condition if the transportation is stopped for a day, there is a possibility of complete disruption of the bottling in the plant,” said sources with the IOC.
The IOC had imported 13 mm steel sheets at a cost of around `15 crore for setting up the underground storage plant. “But now the steel sheets are not protected properly. They are kept in the open and are getting covered in mud,” sources said.
He said the project was undertaken to avail of commission for importing the steel sheets. So the IOC is planning to send the sheets back, he said.
Transformer threat
The transformer placed by the Kerala State Electricity Board at the IOC junction near Udayamperoor is posing a threat to the public, said the locals. Though the locals brought this to the notice of KSEB and the IOC authorities, nothing has been done so far.
“The transformer is situated at the narrow road, where the tanker lorries including the large bulk lorries take a diversion to the plant. The road is not capable of accommodating heavy vehicles. The giant tanker lorries and cylinder load lorries are being transported without any control and that too at night,” he said.
Meanwhile, the IOC authorities said that no such threat has come to their notice. “We did not get any information regarding the threat of the transformer. If it was a threat, then it is the responsibility of the KSEB to replace it,” said Giresh Kumar, plant manager of the IOC
Parking woes
The tanker lorry drivers said the IOC authorities are not keen to provide adequate parking space near the plant. “Earlier there were just about 40 lorries at the plant. But now it has been increased to more than 100. Now all these tanker lorries are parking near the area,” said a driver working for IOC.
Improper checking
According to the sources inside the IOC, the O-ring checking of the cylinders is not happening properly at the plant. The O-ring checking is important to ensure the safety of gas cylinders. But this is not keenly followed by the IOC workers since they are assigned specific targets. And to get done within the given time quality is overlooked.
Adding fuel to this, the replacement of expired cylinders are also not monitored at the plant, sources said.
Meanwhile, the Udayamperoor plant manager Giresh Kumar denied the allegations against the IOC plant.
“There is no room for security doubts at the plant. The cylinders are properly checked at the plant, he said.
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