Paradip: The Paradip Haldia crude oil pipeline of the Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) burst near the IOCL Township in Paradip Thursday.
Owing to the breakage in the pipeline, huge quantity of crude oil leaked out and spread into nearby farmlands in the area. Fire Service personnel and technicians rushed to the spot and started plugging up the leakage to avoid a possible hazard. Oil is being recovered with sponges.
However, the cause of the leakage had not been ascertained. Technicians from IOCL refinery have joined hands with Fire Service personnel to plug the leakage and restore normalcy. IOCL officials said that over 15,000 litre of crude oil has spilled out into the farmlands. To avoid the occurrence of any untoward incident movement of vehicular traffic on the road adjacent to the leakage site has been suspended.
Sealing of the leak was underway till reports last came in. Alok Sahoo, CGM, IOCL Pipeline Division, Paradip, visited the area and took stock of the situation. He said, “Right now we can’t say what caused the leak. Our people are at work and oil is being mopped up from the ground.
Right now it is difficult to tell the quantity of crude oil that has leaked since it’s now mixed with water. We are requesting the public to restrict movement in this part of the road since petroleum vapour is in the air.” Notably, from here, crude oil is being supplied to three oil refineries. From 2009 till date, 10 such leakages in the pipeline have been reported.