CUTTACK: The Odisha Navanirman Sangha has issued a notice under Public Interest Litigation (PIL) Rule to the Secretary, Union Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas seeking immediate action against delay in completion of the underground pipeline from Paradip refinery to the proposed marketing terminal at Hyderabad.
The Orissa High Court PIL Rules provides for filing of a PIL only after submitting a representation to the authorities concerned over the issue for which judicial intervention is to be sought.
City-based ONS’ managing trustee and advocate Dillip Kumar Mohapatra has also sent a similar notice to the Chairman of IOCL.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had laid the foundation stone of Paradip-Hyderabad Pipeline (PHPL) project on December 24, 2018 to supply petroleum products from IOCL’s Pradip refinery. The PHPL project involves laying of around 1,206 km pipeline from Paradip to Hyderabad, traversing through Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Of the total length, 325 km runs through Odisha.
According to Mohapatra, as per the work order and agreement issued to a private company, the work was scheduled to be completed by November 2019. The project was planned to reduce transportation cost of petrol and diesel, and supply fuel to the consumers of the State and country at a lower price.
“But completion of the work has been delayed. If the project work would have been completed within the stipulated time, the Central Government could have saved Rs 25 to Rs 30 lakh per day towards cost of transportation and the price of fuel would have been reduced by Rs 7 to Rs 8 per litre. But due to such delay, the Government is losing Rs 25 to Rs 30 lakh per day,” Mohapatra alleged in his letter.
The entire project is being carried out by money of taxpayers and the delay in completion of the work would eventually result in passing on the excess project cost on to the consumers, Mohapatra further alleged, while urging to take immediate steps to complete the work and realise the loss amount from the private company for not completing the project in due time.
