Parliamentary committee abandons its own recommendation

New Delhi, May 5 (UNI) Having earlier recommended transfer of Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO) from the department of commerce to the petroleum ministry, a parliamentary panel has now suggested that PESO be re-named to avoid confusion about its primary role and functions.

Parliamentary standing committee on commerce, in their 78th report on demands for grants for 2006-07, had recommended the commerce department to examine the feasibility of transferring PESO to the petroleum ministry for optimum utilisation of resources and expertise of the organisation.

However, the panel, in its 81st report tabled in the Lok Sabha this week, said 'the organisation (PESO) should be re-named suitably to avoid confusion about its primary role and functions''.

This turnaround in view of the parlimentary panel came after a detailed briefing by the commerce department which said PESO could not be transferred to the petroleum ministry which is the major user industry, whereas PESO functions as an independent, inspecting organisation connected with safety aspects.

Meanwhile, the panel expressed its unhappiness that PESO did not complete time-bound schemes for development of environment-friendly fireworks and computerisation and infrastructure development assigned to it in 2006-07. The committee asked PESO to design and conduct safety awareness programmes for industrial workers engaged in manufacture and use of explosives and fireworks, adding that number of such workers lose lives while working with explosives and fireworks.

UNI