*PUNJAB POLICE ORDERS IMMEDIATE ACTION ON OIL AND GAS SECURITY COMPLAINTS TO SAFEGUARD CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE*
*— ADGP SECURITY DR KAUSTUBH SHARMA CHAIRS 6TH OSCC MEETING ON BEHALF OF DGP PUNJAB GAURAV YADAV, REVIEWS ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE SECURITY*
*— WILL SENSITISE POLICE PERSONNEL AT CONTROL ROOMS REGARDING HIGHLY SENSITIVE NATURE OF OIL AND GAS RELATED EMERGENCIES, SAYS ADGP DR KAUSTUBH SHARMA*
The 6th Onshore Security Coordination Committee (OSCC) meeting for the State of Punjab was held under the chairmanship of Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) Security Dr Kaustubh Sharma here on Tuesday. The ADGP Security chaired the high-level meeting on behalf of the Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav.
The meeting was attended by senior officials from Punjab Police, including DIG Counter Intelligence Gulneet Singh Khurana, DIG BSF Ankit Goyal, ED (O&M) GAIL Sanjay Chauhan, CGM (HRD & Security) K Dev Kumar, CGM (O&M) and OIC GAIL NCR Vijay Mittal along with representatives from the various oil and gas sector, Intelligence Bureau, Border Security Force (BSF), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), and other relevant departments.
During the discussions, representatives from oil and gas companies including GAIL, ONGC, IOCL, HPCL, BPCL, HMEL, Think Gas, and Torrent Gas provided an overview of their operations and highlighted the challenges faced in ensuring the security of their installations.
Taking a proactive stance on securing critical energy assets, ADGP Dr Kaustubh Sharma issued strict directives to the district nodal police officers to act swiftly on all complaints received from oil and gas companies. He emphasised that any threat to gas pipelines must be treated with utmost seriousness, as the impact of gas leakages could lead to severe fire hazards or suffocation for the public. In all such cases, he ordered the police to immediately register FIRs and initiate prompt investigations.
To streamline emergency responses, the ADGP advised representatives of oil and gas companies to immediately contact the '112' emergency helpline or the respective district police control rooms during exigencies. He assured that all police control room personnel across the state would be thoroughly sensitised regarding the critical and highly sensitive nature of oil and gas-related emergencies.
During the session, the committee reviewed the action taken on points arising from the previous OSCC meeting. The forum discussed the challenges faced by oil and gas companies amidst international supply scenarios, fluctuating rates, and rising petroleum product prices, which could trigger public restlessness and black-market activities. The security panel also evaluated the prevailing law and order situation and potential sabotage plans targeting vital installations in the state.
To equip stakeholders with legal frameworks, a detailed presentation was showcased on the provisions of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) Act, the Petroleum and Minerals Pipelines (PMP) Act (Acquisition of Right of User in Land), and relevant provisions under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) dealing with threats to oil and gas infrastructure.
The meeting also touched upon Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities and best practices being adopted by the operating oil and gas companies.
Concluding the session, Dr Kaustubh Sharma reiterated the strategic importance of the oil and gas sector to the national economy and pledged the unwavering support and cooperation of the Punjab Police in ensuring safe, secure, and uninterrupted operations of all energy infrastructure across Punjab.
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