CHENNAI: A public interest litigation (PIL) petition has been filed in the Madras High Court to stop immediately all activities relating to the establishment of an autorickshaw LPG centre at Tondiarpet.
A division bench of Justices S Manikumar and P T Asha, before which the petition from U Sreenivasan, assistant secretary of YMCA Kuppam Tondiarpet Meenavar Grama Podunala Sangam, came up for hearing on Friday, ordered notice to Indian Oil Petronas Private Limited, Greater Chennai Police Commissioner, Fire and Rescue Services department, North Chennai, and the Controller of Explosives, returnable in two weeks.
According to the petitioner, Indian Oil Petronas has proposed to open an autorickshaw LPG outlet (10 KL capacity of two vessels) on Jeevarathinam Street where About 3,000 families live.
A daily market is functioning within 30 metres from the proposed outlet. A transformer has also been located near the site. When locals protested against the setting up of the outlet, Kasimedu police inspector assured that action would be taken to ensure that the unit would not be opened there. There are also court orders restricting the location of bunks for selling petroleum products within 100 metres from schools. The proposed unit is within 70 metres from two major schools in the locality. However, police Commissioner had issued No Objection Certificate for setting up the bunk, the petitioner’s counsel Raja Senthoor Pandian said.
The Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO), which had the responsibility of ensuring safety and security of the public and the Fire and Rescue Services Department, without considering the gravity of the actual danger, had given NOCs for installation of the unit, Raja Senthoor Pandian said.