A rupture in a pipeline led to a scare in villages along Narmada River in Bharuch district, India. Officials confirmed on Tuesday 27th August that the blast on Sunday 26th August was caused by a rupture in a pipeline belonging to Gas Authority of India Limited (GAIL).
Pravin Macchi, President of Macchi Samaj in Bhadbhut said, "We all heard a deafening sound in the river that led to a scare among the people. Soon residents of Bhuva, Kansva, Navetha, Shankhwad, Mothia, Manad, Mahegam and other villages called the residents of Bhadbhut to enquire what had happened."
Reports of smoke and gas leakage
Macchi said, "There was smoke and smell of gas all around. We realised that one of [the] gas pipelines passing under the river had been ruptured. We informed the collectorate office and the officials rushed to the spot."
Deputy Collector B B Chaudhri said, "[The] rupture had occurred in the 30 in. diameter gas pipeline of GAIL. There are five gas pipelines passing across the river out of which four were operational."
B Y Rathod, Regional Officer of Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB) said, "As a precaution, the gas supply from all the pipelines was stopped immediately and was resumed on Monday only after ensuring their safety."
Cause of the rupture
Sources said that GAIL has explained to the local administration that heavy flood lead to soil erosion and the rupture.
Prasun Kumar, Deputy General Manager (operations and maintenance), at GAIL declined to comment on the issue, according to The Times of India.
GAIL continues efforts to build inter-state gas pipeline
In other Indian gas pipeline news, GAIL has complained to the Madras high court that the Tamil Nadu government is dragging its feet on the litigation of the inter-state gas pipeline project.
The Tamil Nadu government is seeking more time to file its counter to a GAIL India petition that challenges its order to lay a natural gas pipeline along the National Highways. Following protests by farmers, the state government passed an order earlier this year directing GAIL to stop laying the pipeline through open fields and align it along the highways.
Under the project, a pipeline is to be laid for distribution of natural gas from Kochi terminal to Bangalore.
Edited from various sources by Elizabeth Corner