The Verna PI, Mr Jivba Dalvi, inspects the hole dug in the ground, over a petroleum pipeline, next to the four-lane highway near Zuarinagar, on Monday. The pipeline belongs to BPCL and HPCL and connects to ZIOL. (Inset) The illegally tapped underground pipeline. (Sudesh Bhosle)
VASCO: The Verna police on Monday registered an offence against unknown persons, for the pilferage of petroleum products by tapping an underground pipeline connected to Zuari Indian Oil Ltd (ZIOL), from Mormugao Port Trust, behind the Gate Gourmet hotel next to the four-lane highway at Zuarinagar.
The incident came to light when authorities at ZIOL noticed a shortage of fuel while storing it at the ZIOL tanks, which are located at the Sancoale plateau. The ZIOL officials immediately kept a tap on the pipeline and identified the area, which is located close to the four-lane highway, leading to Zuarinagar from Alto-Dabolim.
The ZIOL authorities with the assistance of the Verna police and other officials of the
Indian Oil Corporation Ltd and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd, dug the portion of the land, about one and half meter deep, to locate the exact spot of the pilferage.
The Verna PI, Mr Jivba Dalvi informed that some unknown person have tapped the 163 inch diameter pipeline, which carries petroleum products directly from the MPT to ZIOL.
Mr Dalvi informed that a 3-inch steel pipe was connected to the ZIOL pipe. Police sub-inspector, Verna, Mr Sushant Gawas and Deputy Superintendent of Police, Vasco, Mr Mahesh Gaonkar also inspected the site.
Although the quantity of tapped petroleum products was not known, the Verna police would write a letter to the BPCL and HPCL authorities, asking for more details. The police however said that it appeared that the fuel pilferage was going on for the last few days, and the losses incurred could be in crores.
The police have recovered the steel pipe used for tapping the pipeline and also other utensils used in patching up the hole. The complaint in this regard was lodged by the chief executive officer, ZIOL, Mr Debashish Battacharya.
The offence has been registered under section 379, 285 of IPC, and section 23 of the Petroleum Act, 1934.
It may be recalled that about a decade ago, a similar modus operandi was employed in a similar kind of pilferage of petroleum products, in the premises of the MPT. During that time the pilferage came to light when there were several blasts followed by fire incidents at several places due to the leakage of petroleum products from the tapped point.
