PANAJI
GOACAN, the consumer and civil society group, has urged authorities in North Goa to issue clear public safety information on underground natural gas pipelines, warning that outdated signage and missing helpline details could delay emergency response and trigger a major disaster.
In a letter to District Collector Ankit Yadav, who also chairs the North Goa District Disaster Management Authority, GOACAN co-ordinator Roland Martins called for an inquiry into alleged “unsafe and outdated” public display information about pipelines operated by Goa Natural Gas Private Limited (GNGPL).
The intervention follows a joint inspection on April 1 by the Monitoring Cell of the North Goa District Road Safety Committee near Patto Plaza, close to the KTC bus stand and opposite Heera Petrol Pump. The team identified an underground natural gas pipeline at the site, marked only by a stone slab and a rusted yellow board bearing a helpline number, which is no longer functional.
Officials from the Directorate of Fire and Emergency Services and the Corporation of the City of Panaji, who were present during the inspection, said they had no prior knowledge of the pipeline.
“We have asked the district administration to order an inquiry into how such information continued to be displayed, potentially putting emergency personnel, civic agencies and the public at risk. A joint meeting of line departments, including police, electricity and health authorities, is also sought, where GNGPL would be asked to present details of its pipeline network across North Goa and Ponda, along with the status of warning markers,” he said.
With Fire Prevention Week scheduled from April 14 to 20, the group has urged that all outdated boards and stone markers be replaced immediately with updated helpline numbers. It has also called on GNGPL to publish public notices in newspapers and other media outlining safety precautions and emergency contacts.
“It must be emphasised that GNGPL cannot only spend time to enrol new consumers for piped natural gas but also spend equal time and money on the safety of consumers and the general public,” Martins said.
