PMO pressure on pipeline issue

8220;We may have to succumb to the PMO8217;s diktats and allow BORL to lay a sub-sea/onshore pipeline through one of the four sea routes suggested by it BORL. But, we apprehend some environmentalists may file a public interest litigation against the project,8221; an official of the Gujarat team, who attended the Saturday meeting, told Express Newsline here on Sunday.

The meeting, convened by the prime minister8217;s adviser, Brajesh Mishra, was attended by senior officials from the Union Forest and Environment Ministry, the Petroleum Ministry, BORL, and the Gujarat Government. Among the Gujarat officials were officiating chief secretary V.R.S. Cowlagi, P.K. Laheri, P. Basu, A.P. Mishra, and G.A. Patel.

However, at the meeting, Gujarat Government officials reportedly resisted the Centre8217;s proposal to denotify a portion of the Marine National Park as a possible solution to the contentious issue of laying a sub-sea pipeline to carry imported crude oil from Vadinar on the Jamnagar coast to the Rs 7,000 crore refinery project being set up at Beena in Madhya Pradesh in a joint venture between Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd and the Oman Oil Company.

It may be noted here that the Gujarat Government had recently suggested an alternative route to BORL, advising that its crude oil terminal should not be based at Vadinar. They suggested that it could be relocated somewhere near Sikka, where the Reliance Petroleum Ltd RPL pipeline has been laid so as to minimise the damage to the marine life. The government has been insisting that BORL will be granted environmental clearance under the Wild Life Protection Act only if BORL accepts this alternative route.

But BORL officials are reluctant to accept this offer, as the point at Sikka is about 30 kms from its proposed site at Vadinar. Besides, the single-buoy mooring SBM site will be a further 10 kms off the Reliance SBM site, which may lead to an overall additional cost of about Rs 70 crore. BORL also argues that relocating the crude oil terminal would mean further time and cost overruns.

Sources said the Gujarat Government would have no other option but to fall in line, as Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee is personally evincing interest in getting the pipeline clearance 8220;under the pretext of maintaining bilateral relations between India and Oman8221;.

Amid mounting pressure from the prime minister and other central bosses of his party, Gujarat8217;s BJP Chief Minister Keshubhai Patel appears to be in a fix. Patel is facing stiff resistance not only from a section of the ruling BJP in the State, but also from Opposition Congress leaders on the issue.

The ruling party as well as opposition leaders from Gujarat contend that BORL should not be given the pipeline clearance for its multi-crore refinery project in Madhya Pradesh until the Digvijay Singh Government stops putting hurdles in the implementation of the Sardar Sarovar Dam Project. They also fear that rich coral reefs, mangroves and marine life will be damaged if BORl is allowed to lay a pipeline through the marine park.