Oil firms told to station emergency units in Kozhikode

KOZHIKODE: The Kozhikode District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) has given an order to oil companies to station their emergency response vehicle (ERV) at Kozhikode.

DDMA passed this order under the Disaster Management Act after a meeting to improve the response time during LPG bullet tanker mishaps. DDMA found the current response time unacceptable. On Sunday, the district authorities, fire and rescue personnel and police had to wait for eight long hours to get the ERV to the accident site at Madappalli near Vadakara.

“We cannot accept a response time of eight hours to get an ERV from the oil companies. The people in the area had a miraculous escape after the bullet tanker overturned on Sunday night as there was no gas leakage. District authorities, police and fire and rescue were at the spot within 15 to 20 minutes and carried out the evacuation immediately. However, they had to wait till 8 am to get the ERV from the oil company, although they were alerted about the accident at midnight,” Kozhikode district collector, N. Prasanth told Deccan Chronicle.

DDMA found this to be a grave risk to the public and convened an emergency meeting on Monday. “The representatives of the oil companies were present in the meeting. We discussed the delay in response and have told them that we need to have an ERV stationed at Kozhikode and we can no longer wait for an ERV to reach Kozhikode from Kochi or Mangalore. They have agreed to have an ERV stationed here,” Collector said.

Malabar districts have witnessed around 8 LPG bullet tanker accidents in recent months. The people of Kannur still shudder at the LPG tanker mishap that happened at Chala which claimed 20 lives.

“We need to respond quickly when such accidents happen. The tanker lorry driver was not at fault for the mishap at Madappalli on Sunday but it was the rash driving by a fish laden lorry that caused the mishap. Accidents can happen and we need to be better prepared,” N Prasanth added.