DC warns GGCL of action

SURAT, May 12: The district administration has issued warned Gujarat Gas Company Limited to get its act together by May 31 or face severe...

SURAT, May 12: The district administration has issued warned Gujarat Gas Company Limited to get its act together by May 31 or face severe action. The Adajan-based company has been in the administration8217;s black books ever since several parts of the city reported smelling a foul gas last year.

In a notice issued a couple of days ago under Section 133 of the Criminal Procedure Code, District Collector Sangeeta Singh asked the company to ensure it did not leak ethyl mercaptan into the air. The odourant is mixed with cooking gas to facilitate early detection of a leak.

While the company claims that it is innocent 8212; it even roped in a Mumbai-based consultant, which gave it a clean chit, saying that neither was the leaked gas ethyl mercaptan nor was the GGCL involved 8212; the administration did not buy the claim.

The collector8217;s notice asks the company to upgrade the system that handles ethyl mercaptan. 8220;Any negligence will fetch strict action8221;, the notice said.

The company has also been asked:

To install a permanent scrubbing system.

To dispose of water used to clean barrels containing the chemical only after purifying it.

To store empty barrels carefully and

To ensure there is no liberation of the chemical into the air during dozing involving its emptying into the gas pipeline.

All this will have to be done by the month-end, the company has been told. The Gujarat Pollution Control Board will monitor the implementation and submit a report to the State government accordingly. A round-the-clock control room will be set up in association with the Surat Municipal Corporation at the fire brigade8217;s headquarters; the chief fire officer and the GPCB will monitor complaints received at the control room.

The senior factories inspector has been asked to visit the company premises and submit another report by the end of next month. The official will have to visit the company premises more frequently.

A company spokesman said GGCL would abide by all the collector8217;s recommendations as they would help improve the company8217;s working.

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The collector has also ordered the preparation of a list of industrial units that use gas or chemicals.