Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation helps ensure medical oxygen supply during COVID-19

Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO) under the Ministry of Commerce & Industry completed 123 years of service on Wednesday.

Petroleum and Explosives Safety Orgsation (PESO) under the Ministry of Commerce & Industry completed 123 years of service on Wednesday.

On January 11, 2020, blocks of flats on the lakeshores of Maradu were demolished under the supervision of PESO. After a Supreme Court order held the structures to be illegal, the demolition of the first three blocks of flats was done in a matter of minutes.

During COVID-19 pandemic, PESO has played a key role in ensuring the supply of medical oxygen. The Department of Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry has already set up a monitoring mechsm for the maintenance of an adequate supply of medical oxygen.

This monitoring mechsm is overviewing state-wise situation with regard to the availability of medical oxygen to end-users. They ensure that there is no disruption in the production, transportation and supply of medical oxygen and maintain production in close coordination with the manufacturers of medical oxygen and cylinders. PESO has also nominated 20 officers as state-wise nodal officers for all the states and Union Territories.

The Explosives Department came into being with the appointment of Major CA Muspratt Williams as the Chief Inspector of Explosives on September 9, 1898. This was preceded by the promulgation of the Indian Explosives Act 1884 on February 26, 1884. In 2005, the Department of Explosives was renamed as Petroleum and Explosives Safety Orgsation (PESO).

Speaking to about PESO's operations in Kerala, Dr R Venugopal, Deputy Chief Controller of Explosives, PESO and nodal officer for Kerala and Lakshwadeep, said, "PESO Ernakulam Sub-Circle Office was set up in 1981 in view of the increasing petroleum and explosives related activities in Kerala."

"Amidst all the modernisation, Kerala with its rich but slowly disappearing biodiversity aspires to be a verdant destination. Therefore, the office continuously strives to ensure sustainable and safe development while approving industries, retail outlets, oil pipelines and other facilities. The office, therefore, regulates major industries like BPCL Kochi Refinery, Cochin Shipyard, FACT, HOC, Kerala Minerals and Metals Ltd and The Travancore Cochin Chemicals," Venugopal said.

He said, "Currently, we are regulating 5,698 petroleum premises, 912 gas cylinder premises, 1,845 explosives premises, 392 static and mobile pressure vessels premises, 19 calcium carbide premises and 21 ammonium nitrate premises. A total of 8,887 premises were regulated by PESO, Ernakulam in Kerala and Lakshadweep."

While, the Petroleum and Natural Gas Industry comprises 23 refineries, 15 gas processing plants, 4 Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) terminals, 680 oil and LPG installations and more than 39,000 km cross-country pipelines spread across the length and breadth of the country. All these installations' safe design and operations are regulated by PESO.

The installed petroleum refining capacity of the country is around 231 MMTPA (Million Metric Tonne Per Annum); indigenous crude oil production is around 38 MMTPA while gas production is around 35 Billion Cubic metre per annum. The marketing touch points including retail stations, depots, and terminals are spread throughout the nooks and corners of the country from Kashmir to Kanyakumari and far-flung North-East states to Kutch. According to PESO, this maintains a steady supply of vital petroleum products in the country.

( With inputs from ANI )