ITANAGAR, Jun 22: The All Arunachal Contractor’s Welfare Association (AACWA) has strongly opposed the IOCL’s move to close down the LPG bottling plant (BP) in Kimin, and appealed to the state government to ask the oil company to not shut it down until a new BP is set up within the state.
The association said the bottling plant in Kimin has been the main source of LPG cylinders for more than seven districts of the state and some parts of neighbouring Assam. A sudden closure of the plant will disrupt regular supply of LPG cylinders, causing hardships to the consumers, it said.
“We have had bitter experiences with LPG cylinders during the time of the CAB agitation and the first phase of the nationwide Covid-19 lockdown. Having a LPG bottling plant of our own within the state’s territory would at least ensure regular supply of LPG cylinders,” the association said in a memorandum to the chief secretary.
Stating that there is a suitable plot of land for setting up an LPG bottling plant in Bello-Lora village, in Kimin subdivision of Papum Pare district, and that the villagers are ready to donate land for the purpose, the association urged the chief secretary to ask the IOCL authority to conduct a survey of the proposed land.
The IOCL is planning to close operation of the LPG BP in Kimin permanently on 30 June “for not meeting the safety distance norms as per the Oil Industry Safety Directorate.”?
“IOCL is not in a position to comply with the safety distance norms. …The river, which is flowing on three sides of the plant, has already eroded some portion of the plant land on one side and as such the plant is always under threat from this river. In view of non-compliance of safety norms, IOCL Board has recently approved for permanent closure of the Kimin LPG bottling plant immediately,” the IOCL said in a letter to the state government, a copy of which was provided to this daily by the AACWA.
“The markets currently attached to the Kimin BP will be fed from the LPG bottling plant in Gopanari, Assam,” the letter said, and requested the government to allot a suitable plot for setting up a new bottling plant.
