Closure notice issued to pump near Fort Kochi jetty

KOCHI: The Cochin Port Trust (CPT) has issued a closure notice to the Indian Oil outlet near Fort Kochi from where the fishing boat, Besalel, that rammed the ferry boat a week ago, refuelled just before the accident.In the order issued on August 31, CPT had asked the Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) dealer K K Damodaran to immediately cease operating the outlet.The location of the fuel station in the close vicinity of the junkar, ferry boat, and tourist jetties in Fort Kochi is a factor that may have contributed to the accident, in addition to the reckless navigation of the fishing boat, CPT’s deputy conservator captain G P Biswal had said in the order.It was also pointed out by CPT that the queue of fishing boats that come for fuelling to the station spills over into the shipping channel, which is not conducive for safe navigation.Further, CPT had stated that the fuel station has been functioning without a licence from March 31 last year. Following the closure order, the filling station dealer has now approached the Kerala high court questioning CPT’s decision.At the high court, the dealer alleged that the order was issued by CPT without giving any notice. The licence had been in existence for the past 48 years, the petition said.CPT’s finding that the location of the station contributed to the accident was made without any enquiry or previous notice and amounts to charging the petitioner with culpability. Such statements are absolutely irresponsible and should not have come from a high functionary like the deputy conservator of CPT. An application for renewal of the licence is still pending, the petition filed through advocate S M Prasanth said.As the application seeking renewal of licence is pending, the IOC dealer cannot be prevented from acting in accordance with the licence or using the jetty or supplying fuel to motor boats as has been done in the past 48 years, it is contended.The dealer is seeking a court order quashing the CPT’s order and allow the continuation of operations.