CM inaugurates Sekmai LPG Bottling Plant
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, July 27: Inaugurating the first LPG Bottling Plant set up by the Indian Oil Corporation Limited (Assam Oil Division), IOC (AOD) in Manipur at Awang Sekmai today, Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh has stated that ensuring adequate availability of LPG would not only improve the financial condition of the State but would also help in combating environmental degradation.

CM at the inaugural function of the LPG bottling plant

Speaking as chief guest of the function, Ibobi observed that traditional practice of fire wood collection by the people specially in the hill areas of the State has had a serious impact in maintaining the ecological balance including siltation of the Loktak Lake.

So in order to arrest this unwanted development, availability of LPG in the hill areas should be ensured, he added.

Inspite of undue delay in setting up the LPG bottling plant due to various factors like transport bottleneck and unsettling law and order situation including frequent bandhs and blockades, the plant once it is fully implemented would help in the overall development of the region in due course of time, Ibobi expressed confidently.

While observing that the people of Manipur would continue to face inconveniences of frequent bandh and blockade until there is railway connectivity, Ibobi said it is high time for the Government to enact a law to counter the unhealthy trend of calling bandhs and blockades by every sundry organisations to press their demands.

He also appealed to the authorities of IOC to see whether the storage capacity of the newly inaugurated LPG bottling plant may be increased to 25,000 metric tonne or for three months.

Having a total storage capacity of 600 metric tonne of Indane ( the brand name of IOC's LPG) is said to have the installed capacity of 10,000 metric tonne in a year.

Construction of the bottling plant, which is said to be the 12th such plant of the IOC in the North Eastern India, began in 2002.The bottling of the LPG was successfully conducted on experimental basis on December 3, 2006 and nominal production commenced from January 8 this year.

The execution of the project took some time due to some major constraints like disruption of movement of materials to the construction site due to frequent economic blockade along the National Highways, disturbed law and order situation, non-availability of construction power at the early stage , etc.

Nonetheless, the plant had been inspected by several statutory agencies including officials from Oil Industry Safety Directorate New Delhi after which the plant has been declared as absolutely environment friendly and safeguards human inhabitant.

Some of the major facilities meeting the provisions of the Oil Industry Safety Directorate that have been provided in the newly inaugurated plant include four 150 MT capacity bullets for bulk storage of LPG, LPG tank truck loading, LPG sheds for filling of LPG and storage of filled cylinders and truck loading and unloading, filling machines, LPG pumps and compressors, electronic weigh bridge, chain conveyer system with various online equipments, comprehensive fire protection system, etc.

MLA Dr H Borajao, MLA K Meghachandra, Principal Secretary of FCS Sarat Singh and IOC officials were also present during the inaugural function of the newly set up LPG bottling plant.