Manipur power plant fuel leak: Govt sets up three member panel

Imphal, Jan 12 (IANS) Manipur government has constituted a three member committee to conduct an inquiry in the fuel leak at Leimakhong power station in Imphal West district, which continued for third day on Friday.

The spillage happened on the night of January 10 at the Leimakhong power station, affecting Kantosabal, Sekmai and nearby villages.

The fuel contain streams eventually join the Imphal river downstream, which is a vital water source for several villages, including Kantosabal and Sekmai.

The Imphal river is the lifeline of Imphal valley, comprising several districts.

Officials said that the inquiry committee to be headed by Additional Director General of Police (Intelligence) Ashutosh Kumar Sinha and Power Secretary Shailesh Kumar Chaurasia and Additional Secretary Home Department M Pradip Singh are the other two members.

A notification said that the inquiry committee after conducting a detailed study considering all the contributing factors that led to the sudden leakage of fuel suggested immediate and long-term measures for the safety and security of the power plant.

The committee will submit its report to the state government within 15 days.

The Secretary to Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh on Wednesday directed the departments and authorities concerned to take "immediate necessary action to prevent an environmental calamity, making use of all available resources in terms of machinery, manpower and expertise."

The main course of the stream has been blocked at Kantosabal to contain the spread of heavy fuel into the public water supply system and diverted to a nearby dug out field.

A committee also constituted by the Public Health Engineering Department to monitor and ensure that potable water is available for consumption as well as for domestic use of the public with members from various departments.

As a precautionary measure, the general public is requested to not use raw water from the stream from Leimakhong to Lamdeng until the water testing report is confirmed.

The general public is further requested to extend full cooperation to the government by reporting immediately any signs of affecting aquatic life and animals, the officials said.

The Deputy Commissioner of the Imphal West district has been coordinating with the officials and workers dealing with the situation.

According to officials, machines were pressed into service to divert the flow of the water of the affected streams towards nearby empty fields.

An official said that it was yet to be known if there was any involvement of the miscreants behind the incident, or just an "accident".

Villagers depend on the water of the affected streams for their day-to-day needs.