BPCL ensures fuel supply in Kerala for rescue operations

Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) is taking all the necessary steps round-the-clock to make petroleum fuels available without any interruption in the flood-hit Kerala, especially for the rescue and relief operations.

The BPCL has made all the arrangements in its Kochi Refinery to ensure normal operations.

"The Kochi Refinery management committee under Executive Director, Prasad K Panicker is reviewing the operation round the clock and a 24-hours control room has been opened to coordinate with external agencies," said the BPCL in a statement.

"The water pumping station of Kochi Refinery at Edamula, Aluva, that supplies water for the refinery operations has been flooded. However, presently, Kochi Refinery has water to meet the requirements for the next two days only and alternative arrangements are being made through in-house resources to meet the water requirements thereafter," the statement added.

Apart from this, petrol, diesel and liquid petroleum gas (LPG) are being made available in all BPCL Retail Outlets (Petrol Pumps) and Gas agencies that are presently reachable through roads from Irumpanam Installation, Coimbatore and Thirunelveli. Diesel and petrol are also being transferred from Kochi Refinery to the installations of Indian Oil Corporation and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited.

Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF) for aircraft is also being supplied without interruption to Thiruvananthapuram Airport from Kochi Refinery.

Kerala has been witnessing massive flood, bringing the normal life to a standstill. The death toll, ever since the monsoon season began this year, has crossed 300.