The Hindu Business Line : Rajbandh fire: Panel to scrutinise safety norms

THE safety norms as laid down by the Oil Industry Safety Directorate (OISD) for various oil installations in the country may come up for a review in the light of the devastating fire at Rajbandh depot of Indian Oil Corporation in West Bengal. Senior officials of OISD have already visited the fire-ravaged site.

The OISD norms were prepared on the basis of certain parameters rendered inadequate as the lightning struck the Number 12 tank of the Rajbandh depot causing devastating fire. The tank contained more than 3500 kilolitres of motor spirit.

Mr Gautam Datta, General Manager, West Bengal state office, IOC, told presspersons here on Monday that, as per the instruction of the West Bengal Chief Minister, the State Fire Services Minister had suggested constitution of a coordination committee comprising representatives of the oil industry, State Fire Services Department, OISD and the local administration to examine the adequacy of fire-fighting measures currently in place at various oil installations in the State. The committee would also make necessary recommendations for improvement, if it were so warranted, Mr Datta said. He challenged the allegation that the safety measures at Rajbandh left much to be desired. "The measures as per the OISD norms were in place", he said wondering if any kind of preparation was enough to deal with a natural calamity like lightning.

"More than 53 lakh litres of water that was stored in the depot complex for fighting probable fire proved to be inadequate to combat the blaze and Damodar Valley Corporation's help was sought", he said.

Mr Datta did not agree that the earthing system and the lightning arresters did not work. "All the earthing connections are tested twice a year and the last checking was done in February this year", he said.

The bulk of the motor spirit stored in the affected tank had been recovered by way of inter-tank transfer, he said but declined to give any firm indication of the loss caused by the fire. "The extent of loss is still being assessed by the five-member fact-finding committee constituted internally by IOC", he said adding that the replacement of the fire-ravaged tank would cost around Rs 1 crore or so.