57 cases of oil pilferage of crude oil detected this fiscal: Dharmendra Pradhan

NEW DELHI: As many as 57 cases of pilferage of crude oil during transportation have been reported so far this financial year, up from 47 cases in the previous year, government said today.

During the current fiscal till February, 57 incidents of were detected and the cases are being pursued by the concerned oil marketing companies, Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said in Lok Sabha during Question Hour.

He said 47 similar cases of pilferage were reported during 2013-14 in different parts of the country.

Pradhan said all out efforts were being made to stop pilferage of crude oil during transportation and world's best practices for security of pipelines were being implemented.

The Centre has initiated consultations with state governments to set up joint mechanisms to check pilferage of crude oil.

"World's best practices are being implemented for the safety of crude pipelines. We, in coordination with the state governments, will take the matter to its logical conclusion," he said.

The Minister said steps were also being taken by oil PSUs to prevent oil pilferage, including round-the-clock monitoring of pipeline flow and pressure through supervisory control and data acquisition system for pipelines, daily foot-patrolling by line patrolmen, electronic surveillance and patrolling by local police.