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Mangaluru: MRPL faulted in oil spill control measures


Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, July 17, 2015: At a meeting DK Deputy Commissioner Adoor.B. Ibrahim, July 16 gave the Officials of   MRPL - Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Ltd.  one month to complete necessary steps.  He also enquired as to  the delay on the part of the company in joining hands with other companies to take up steps to prevent oil spill.

 

MRPL

 

MRPL


During the meeting of the District Disaster Management Committee, an official from the New Mangalore Port Trust said the steps taken to prevent oil spill, if any, at the Single Point Mooring facility of MRPL at the port, were not enough.  The NMPT official said they had worked out steps which would have to be implemented by all companies using the port.   As in other ports, the largest user of the facilities of the port should bear the maximum cost.

 MRPL being the largest handler of crude oil, it has to bear the maximum cost. Though other firms have agreed, MRPL has, for the last five years, not come forward to sign the memorandum of understanding. They are not even attending meetings called for the purpose.    Additional Deputy Commissioner A. Sadashiva Prabhu said MRPL had committed to taking up measures in the last meeting.  DK DC Ibrahim directed Deputy Director of Factories and Boilers K.G. Nanjappa to give them one month to take action.  He also cautioned of further action by the district administration, if they failed to take any steps.

DK DC  Ibrahim expressed his displeasure over the time taken by MRPL officials in pursuing with the Ministry of Civil Aviation, the case, for declaring the area a no-fly zone. G. Srinikethan, Professor of Chemical Engineering and a member of District Crisis Group, said MRPL and the NMPT were not participating regularly in drills.