Public Hearing on POL depot held
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, October 10 2011: A public meeting on the proposed Petroleum and Other Lubricants (POL) depot at Malom in Imphal West district was held at the Megha Government High School ground, Malom today.

The public hearing was organized by the Manipur Pollution Control Board (MPCB).

Th Chitra, Additional District Magistrate, Imphal West, Priobhash Dey, General Manager, IOC, N Maniketan, Senior Environmental Engineer, Manipur Pollution Control Board and K Jagadishwor, Member Secretary, Manipur Pollution Control Board were present as the Chairperson, Members and Convenor respectively of the public meeting.

Speaking on the occasion, K Jagadishwor said that it is a mandatory requirement for the MPCB to conduct Public hearing for Environmental Clearance for the construction of POL depot as per the guidelines of MoEF, GoI.

He also read out the Executive Summary given in local vernacular language for the public to interact and respond.

He also appealed to the public to come up with any query, clarifications, views, suggestions and opinions regarding the proposed POL depot Project so that the Panel members can clarify in the proceedings accordingly.

M Mera of Tuliyaima who was also present in the public hearing put up two proposals.

The first one was about providing indirect employment to one of the family members of the affected pattadars and the other was to give compensation at the available rate as decided by the government.

It was later agreed to include the proposal in the proceedings of the public hearing.

Responding to a query the representatives of IOCL said that the construction activities are taken up in two phases.

The first phase will be completed after 36 months from the date of obtaining all the statutory approvals.

The completion period of the second phase will be 2 years after the arrival of railheads at Imphal valley.

N Maniketan said that all the latest means for pollution control measures and guidelines issued by the MoEF from time to time will be adopted for maintaining the level of pollution at the minimum recommended level.

Clarifying to a query by Premchand of Kwakeithel on the measures for managing the disaster in case of the occurrence of any accident, JS Patel, IOCL said that POL depot is basically for the people of Manipur and all the safety norms laid down by the Oil Industry Safety Directorate and Chief Controller of Explosives shall be complied with.

A disaster management Plan based on the Risk Analysis will be put in place for mitigating any kind of disaster.

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