Mangaluru: Deputy commissioner A B Ibrahim presided over a meeting of officials of different oil companies and other officials in his office on Tuesday.
He said that complaints over complaints were being received about movement of LPG tankers in the district between 10 pm and 6 pm in spite of a ban in force. He issued strict instructions to the police and regional transport authorities to seize such tankers which violated the time restrictions.
Citing the recent incident at Soorikumer, the DC said that there would not be any compromise with issues relating to public safety. He reminded that deployment of two drivers and a conductor was compulsory, which was not being adhered to according to complaints from citizens.
He stressed that compliance of safety measures within the company complex alone was not enough. Safety all along their routes also was the responsibility of the oil companies. He ordered that all oil companies join together and arrange for mechanical cranes to be made available on the Mangaluru-Bengaluru and Mangaluru-Udupi highways. He set a deadline of a week for compliance of this order.
He also issued an order that all the expenses involved as part of disaster management and compensation post-Soorikumer incident be defrayed by the concerned oil company.
He said that steps were being taken to link the GPS of fuel tankers to the district police control room. He instructed the oil companies to settle the transporters’ bills for April only after ensuring that the tankers were fitted with speed governors.
He instructed the transport department officials to identify two spots between Kalladka and Shiradi to set up parking terminals for tankers and assured that the district administration would provide land for the purpose.
He further said that land would be provided to set up a fire station between Uppinangady and Gundya. He also announced that an order banning the parking of tankers in residential areas and by the side of the highways would be issued soon.
