The death of Inyat Shaikh aged 20 at Sangolli Rayana Circle was discussed at the general body meeting of the City corporation, and Councillors raised the issue that it was caused due to the bad road as it was dug to lay the underground HT lines by HESCOM.
Councillors complained that utilities like HESCOM and Gas laying companies had been digging up roads across the city, without bothering to repair them later which are causing accidents.
It is said that Inyat while trying to doge a pothole slipped and eventually came in infront of a truck where he was killed on the spot.
The Councillors demanded that an FIR be filed against the contractor of HESCOM for negligence.
A lot of road digging is going around Belgaum for laying infrastructure to provide various utility facilities to the citizens of Belgaum. One such facility is to provide direct piped LPG to the the households in the city. In some places, pipelines have already been welded and buried in the ground.
As we are all aware that LPG being a highly volatile and flammable substance and in the event of a mishap it can cause immense damage to life and property and some questions arise, whether due safety and standard pipeline laying procedures are followed while laying the pipes?
Some of the questions which needs answered are:-
1) Dose the size, thickness and material of these pipes comply with standards, such as ASME, BS etc. For transportation of liquid petroleum gas?
2) Have standard pipeline welding procedure such as ASME, API etc. been followed?
3) Have necessary tests, such as Radiography, Ultrasound, Hydro-pressure, etc: been done to access the integrity of the welds?
4) Are the welders, fabricators, Radiographers and other technicians involved in the job adequate qualified?
5) Are all safety norms followed while welding, Radiography, trenching, and laying of the pipes followed?
6) Dose the back filling and road-crossing done on these pipes comply with the required pipeline construction standards?
These are some basic concerns the contractor need to take care while doing such a high risk infrastructure, if not, we the citizens of Belgaum are sitting on potancally a ticking bomb which may go off any time.