Elathur diesel leak exposes safety lapses at HPCL

THE DIESEL leak at the Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL) depot in Elathur the day before was a result of "serious lapses" in the company's safety measures, District Collector Snehil Kumar Singh said on Thursday.

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A malfunction in the sensor gauge responsible for monitoring fuel levels led to the release of approximately 1,500 litres of diesel at the depot on Wednesday, contaminating nearby soil and water bodies.

Speaking to reporters, Snehil asserted that the incident, which caused significant environmental damage, could have escalated into a major disaster were it not for timely intervention by the authorities concerned. He said both mechanical and electronic systems at the HPCL failed to detect and prevent the leak.

"The extent of the leak is not small, and its consequences are severe. Water sources have been polluted, and soil contamination has been reported at several places," Snehil said.