KOCHI: The expert committee appointed by the government to study the environmental and safety aspects of the Indian Oil Corporation’s (IOC) LPG import terminal at Puthuvype will hold its second meeting shortly before undertaking the site visit to Puthuvype island and meeting all stakeholders.The committee comprises N Purnachandra Rao, director, National Centre for Earth Sciences Studies (NCESS), Thiruvananthapuram, Eapen Varghese, Chief Town Planner (Retd) and K V Thomas, CRZ expert and former scientist with NCESS.
The committee held its first meeting last month, where it finalised the roadmap on how to go about the business, including the collection of data. The committee will meet again soon and decide on the date to visit Puthuvype, among other things. “We hope to submit the final report to the government before October end,” said a member, who preferred anonymity.Purnachandra Rao told Express he could only comment on it after the meeting. “Right now, it’s too early to divulge any details. Let’s meet first,” he said.
The Rs 2,200-crore project by IOC is aimed at minimising the movement of bulk LPG tankers through the highways in the state. IOC moves bulk LPG from Mangalore to various LPG bottling plants in North Kerala using around 100 bullet trucks every day, which ply narrow highways.
Following the protests by environmental activists and locals, IOC suspended all construction activities on the project in June within days after it commenced the work.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan later held a meeting of all stakeholders, following which a committee was formed. The protesters fear the plant would affect the livelihood of fishers and impinge on the peaceful lives of people living in its vicinity. The Chief Minister had assured the project would not be shelved as it would send a wrong message about the development initiatives of the state.
‘Equipment rusting at site’
A senior executive of IOC told Expresson Monday the imported equipment worth Rs 200 crore are rusting at the work site. “Fearing violence, our people are not ready to guard the site. Equipment have also been stolen from the site,” he said.The proposed LPG import terminal would connect Kochi Refineries and the LPG bottling plants at Udayamperoor, Palakkad, Coimbatore, Erode and Salem, reducing congestion on the state highways. The project also comprises a multi-user liquid terminal, the Kochi-Salem LPG pipeline and a bulk terminal at Palakkad. Out of this, around Rs 670 crore has only been set aside towards labour cost.
The committee member said though its terms of reference are the safety issue and environmental aspects, the committee can also look into other aspects like land erosion and mangrove destruction in the area due to the project. “We have been asked to submit the report. Then it will be left to the government to decide on whether to go ahead with the project or not. Right now, it’s too early to comment on the outcome,” he said.IOC on its part had assured latest safety measures for the project, which will be under 24-hour camera surveillance.
The project has also received the National Green Tribunal (NGT) and the High Court nod. Around 13 LPG import terminals are situated along the 7,500-km coastal area of the country. No agency or authority has ever taken a stand against the project so far. IOC has complied with all the safety laws, it has been pointed out. In the first week of August, the Environment Committee of the Legislative Assembly headed by Mullakkara Ratnakaran had held a hearing of various stakeholders involved in the row over the IOC LPG plant.
LPG Import Terminal
The project also includes laying of a pipeline from the Jetty to Kochi refinery via IOC’s LPG Plant at Kochi
The project has also received the National Green Tribunal and the High Court nod.