Is it dangerous to have multi-storey residential buildings abutting an oil refinery that produces a highly-inflammable cocktail of 12 million metric tonnes of petroleum products?
BPCL drags govt to court for sanctioning an SRA project right next to a refinery
Is it dangerous to have multi-storey residential buildings abutting an oil refinery that produces a highly-inflammable cocktail of 12 million metric tonnes of petroleum products? The state government doesn’t think so.
Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) has dragged the government to Bombay High Court for sanctioning a Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) project comprising highrise buildings next to its oil refinery in Mahul, Kurla.
Citing an Intelligence Bureau (IB) report, BPCL has stated that the project posed a security threat to a sensitive installation and accused the government of putting at risk the lives of thousands of slum dwellers by housing them so close by a refinery. HC has directed the government to file its reply in two weeks.
The plot in question lies to the west of the refinery, which churns out highly inflammable products like high speed diesel, aviation turbine fuel and liquefied petroleum gas. BPCL had originally planned to buy the land, which belonged to the Mafatlals, and construct staff quarters. However, following a negative report from the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI), the idea was abandoned. In July 2000, an IB report confirmed that highrise buildings in the vicinity of the refinery could expose it to sabotage and security threats.
The Mafatlals sold the land to a construction company, Eversmile, which started work on the plot. This was challenged in HC, which asked the government to decide the matter afresh.
In March 2006, the government changed the reservation of the plot under the Mumbai Regional Town Planning (MRTP) Act to allow the SRA scheme. BPCL claimed that the plot was reserved for its use. Moreover, changing the reservation without issuing a notice was violative of the MRTP Act, it added. BPCL wrote to the government to declare the land as a no-development zone to protect national interest and to ensure safety of residents.
BPCL’s petition stated that in the view of the extremely sensitive nature of the refinery installation it was absolutely necessary that no human habitation be permitted on the western side. This, according to the petition, would not only prevent the occurrence of any mishap but would also protect the refinery from any sabotage bid, as well as ensure strict security against subversive activities and terrorist threats.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}