A suspected oil leak from a pipeline from Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Ltd., (MRPL) has put residents of Jokatte area as well company officials on high alert on Wednesday.
While Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) State president Muneer Katipalla alleged that the leak must have been happening for many days, MRPL in a statement said that the source of oil, near Adani Wilmar on MSEZ Road, has not yet been established.
Mr. Katipalla said that the leakage must have gone unnoticed following heavy rains all these days and it came to notice only about two days ago after the rains subsided.
He suspected that the leak must have contaminated groundwater in the area and also percolated to the adjacent Phalguni (Gurupura) river.
Mr. Katipalla alleged that MRPL has been hiding all flaws in active collusion with the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board and deplored its attitude.
MRPL’s statement further said, “During a routine pipeline corridor inspection from MRPL to NMPT jetty, MRPL officials noticed oil traces on the surface. It is noticed that waste material is being illegally dumped on the vicinity of our piepline corridor. The possibility of dumping of waste oil by unknown persons is not yet ruled out. To eliminate the possibility of leak from MRPL’s underground pipelines, the company has started excavation in the area. So far, no leak from the pipeline has been observed.”
The pipeline carries fuel oil (furnace) to NMPT for onward export and is insulated with bitumen to keep the oil warm. Because of MRPL’s thrust on production of pet coke as a by-product, furnace oil is produced in less quantity and once in a month it is pumped to NMPT, the spokesperson said in an attempt to alleviate pollution concerns.
