A major tragedy was averted when a generator caught fire in the premises of the
Bharat Petroleum - M/s Virginkar's owned petrol pump in the heart of the city
of Margao exactly 1745 hrs today . According to the pump attendants on duty
who spoke to this writer in situ they noticed fumes followed by a slight
flare. The Fire Brigade station located just behind the Petrol pump adjoining
the South Goa Police Headquarter Margao and the traffic police played a timely
role in averting a panic as the vehicle owners ran off the scene. The news of
the fire spread and there was an apparent panic but the situation was well
under control.
Traffic movement was efficiently manned by Traffic Police PI Mr Shirwaiker and
the fire doused out. The adjoining Hindustan Petroleum - M/s Kavlekar owned
petrol pump closed operations and ensured that the petrol tanks were sealed.
Presently sale of petrol has been temporarily stopped until the fire embers are
doused off effectively.
Unfortunately the fire hydrants were not easily available, in the office and
this could have proved tragic.
According to one of the attendants who spoke to this writer at the site none of
them are trained in preliminary fire fighting works and hence they had to
depend on the fire brigade.
It may be recalled that the Margao Municipal Council has since the early 1990's
been hankering over shifting the petrol pumps four in all from the heart of the
city what is prominently known as the George Barretto square.
In fact following the fire at an oil terminal in the north Indian state of
Rajasthan which lasted for well over a week the Disaster Management team headed
by the District Magistrate South Goa District Mr G P Naik had taken the issue
seriously and demanded the immediate relocation of these pumps. However the
political will is lacking according to ex councillor Ms Auda Viegas a woman
activist who spoke to this writer. She said there were several resolutions
passed to move these pumps but to no avail, instead they have restructed
several of them making light of the public demand and the Municipal Council
resolutions" . Hopefully the present fire could serve as a precursor to enusre
their shifting which will also result in clearing the traffic snarls in the
heart of the city. The present councillor of the ward Mr Fondekar was not
available for comment at the time of filing this report.
Incidentally some of them owe arrears in lacs to the Margao Municipal Council
and they have been in the last fortnight given an ultimatum to cough up the
amount or face conswquences like sealing of the pumps.
Today being Eid-uz-Zuha or Baqr-Eid a public holiday there except for holiday
crowd in the Aga Khan Garden /Margao Municipal Garden and the pre-advent
shoppers mainly women and children this weekend Saturday would have
turned chaotic if the situation was out of hand.
GODFREY J. I. GONSALVES,
BORDA, MARGAO, 403 602, GOA. (INDIA)
+91 98221 58584 (24 HRS)
gonsalvesgodfre...@yahoo.co.in
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