Two top GAIL officials suspended

• GAIL to conduct checks on 875-km pipeline
  
• A cheque for `3.89 cr handed over to collector
  
• Compensation for crop, property damage to be paid

Rajahmundry: GAIL would undertake foot-patrol of every inch of its 875 Kilometer-long pipeline network in KG basin and an internal Audit Group of GAIL would undertake audits to check thoroughly the various pipeline systems of about 11,000 kilometers across the country and submit detailed report within a fortnight, Director (Projects), Dr Ashutosh Karnatak has informed here on Sunday. He said that GAIL has constituted an internal inquiry committee headed by Executive Director (Operations & Maintenance) and it has also been decided to engage an international consultant of repute to conduct an intensive third-party audit of its pipeline safety systems and other hydrocarbon installations as a precautionary measure. He spoke to reporters in Rajahmundry on Sunday.

Explaining about his assumptions on the GAIL pipeline has leakage which caused huge explosion on Friday, Dr Ashutosh Karnatak said that condensate of elements like CO2, Water and Sulphur found in the gas supplied by one of the three suppliers - Ravva field, ONGC and Cairn Energy - which paved the way for corrosive composition and deadly corrosion act might have taken place. He did explain that the gas should be dry and should not contain water. He did also inform that the cloud formation, which occurred before the explosion took place, was abnormal.

He said that the authorities are doing pigging (foam and intelligent) to the pipeline according to the international norms to clear any deposits, to measure thickness of the pipe and to measure whole data of the valve. He recalled that intelligent pigging was done to the pipeline in 2010 and it would withstand up to 2016. He said that the frequency of pigging would be taken up wherever necessary after completion of the auditing. When asked as to why the GAIL authorities did not respond to the pleas made by the local people to repair the pipeline, he said that the company always maintained a logbook and such complaints were not registered in the logbook in recent times. He said that markers were erected at several crucial spots with emergency phone numbers to call at any emergency time. Explaining about the events unfolded on last Friday in Nagaram, Karnatak said that gas leak took place at 5.45 am and immediately valves were closed and the gas subdued by 6.20 am. He added that fire was totally controlled by 7 am. Refuting that concrete was pasted on the pipeline to control the leakage in the past, he clarified that it was the concrete coated pipeline.

Meanwhile, Pankaj Patel, GM, KG Basin and Rakesh Prasad (DGM) were suspended by the GAIL authorities on Sunday. GAIL on Sunday handed over Rs 3.89 crore to the district administration towards compensation for the families of the deceased at Rs 20 lakh each along with Rs 50,000 to each of the 19 injured. The disbursement of compensation will begin tomorrow. The loss of property as well as crops is being assessed in consultation with district authorities and GAIL will also be extending compensation for the same.

Chiru, Botcha face fire of residents

The villagers vent fire against the former Union Minister Chiranjeevi and former PCC president Botcha Satyanarayana when they visited Nagaram village on Sunday. They shouted slogans against the Congress leaders to go back from the scene. People have made it clear that they don’t need their consolation and want only replacement and relocation of GAIL pipeline from the area. People have said that they do not allow any political leader to visit them and try to get mileage out of their pathetic conditon. Then Chiranjeevi and Botcha returned from the spot along with their vehicles.