Expert report on Puthuvype LPG plant in October

Kochi: The expert committee appointed to study the environmental and safety aspects of the IOC LPG terminal at Puthuvype will submit its report by October end.  While addressing media persons after conducting a sitting at Ernakulam guest house and visiting the project site on Thursday, committee chairman Dr N. Poornachandra Rao said it had collected all details of the plant and concerns of the local community. “Talks were held with officials of Indian Oil Corporation, representatives of political parties and residents for data collection. The committee has earlier held two meetings at Thiruvananthapuram during which documents related to the project were examined," said Mr Rao, are Dr Rao, director of the National Centre for Earth Science Studies (NCESS).

"The expert panel will examine all aspects of the project including the technical and social impacts." Its members, former chief town planner Eapen Varghese and former scientist with NCESS K.V, Thomas. district collector Mohammed Y. Safirulla and M.C. Dathan, scientific advisor to the chief minister, were also present during the sitting. In August last, Assembly Committee on Environment headed by Mullakkara Ratnakaran MLA had visited here and gathered evidence from the affected parties and held talks with IOC officials.

The LPG plant which is part of the '2,200-crore mega project is aimed at minimising the movement of bulk LPG tankers through the highways.  IOC moves bulk LPG from Mangalore to various LPG bottling plants in North Kerala using around 100 bullet trucks every day. According to representatives of the people’s action council, the project is not suited for a densely populated area like Puthuvype, and the IOC is misguiding residents through false claims and campaigns.