A panel of experts will be set up under the Executive Yuan to help rebuild Kaohsiung after the powerful July 31 gas explosions, Premier Jiang Yi-huah announced today at a cross-agency meeting to discuss post-disaster efforts and underground pipeline management.
The name list for the 10 scholars and experts in the fields of firefighting, chemical engineering, mechanics and disaster prevention will be released as soon as possible, said Executive Yuan Spokesperson Sun Lih-chyun. This advisory panel will be charged with improving the safety of pipelines in general and handling the Kaohsiung case in particular. They will also delve into the design and management of pipeline systems as well as how crises are handled.
To pay for road reconstruction and other costs, the Kaohsiung City Government should draw first from the current year's disaster-relief budget (including disaster reserve funds and secondary reserves). If this budget is insufficient, Article 43 of the Disaster Prevention and Protection Act permits the city to adjust receipts and expenditures for the entire fiscal year. Article 45 also allows relief donations from the private sector to be applied.
"If all of these resources are still insufficient, Premier Jiang has promised the full assistance of the central government," Sun said.
Regarding disruptions to utility pipelines and telephone services, Sun said water supplies for Sanduo Road and Yixin Road will be restored by tomorrow evening and Kaixuan Road as soon as possible. Electricity is expected to be restored for 630 households today and the entire area by tomorrow. Natural gas will be restored to non-disaster areas by tomorrow evening at the soonest. As for the 4,602 households in disaster areas, the resumption of natural gas supplies will depend on the progress of road and pipeline repairs. However, if the gas pipes cannot be repaired soon, residents may resort to gas tanks instead. Also, all fixed-line phone services and base stations are expected to be restored by 8 a.m. tomorrow.
Regarding the propylene that remains in the pipelines, the state-owned oil company CPC Corp., Taiwan has been asked to help extract the liquid from the pipes of the China Petrochemical Development Corp., Sun said. To vent out any residual gases, nitrogen will then be pumped into the pipes for 12 hours starting 9 a.m. today. Finally, the pipes will be flushed with water to wash out other remaining matters.
Addressing concerns over the management of underground pipelines, Sun said every local public works department has had dedicated units overseeing pipeline operations since 1993. Companies wishing to lay pipelines must apply with the public works department and pay a fee after receiving permission. As a result, the local governments have kept very detailed records after 1993, even more complete than those of the central government.
Most local governments have also established their own ordinances on road digging and management so that companies must obtain consent from local authorities and pay the appropriate fees before commencing on projects that affect public roads.
Moreover, the nation has a clear set of laws and governing authorities over specific areas, Sun continued. For instance, the Urban Road Act, the Common Duct Act and the Fire Services Act are under the purview of the Ministry of the Interior (MOI). The Petroleum Administration Act and the Natural Gas Enterprise Act are enforced by the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA). The Labor Inspection Act and the Occupational Safety and Health Act are under the Ministry of Labor (MOL). Hence the government has the authority to remove any pipelines that were illegally installed.
Today's meeting was attended by the MOEA, Environmental Protection Administration, MOI, Ministry of Transportation and Communications, MOL, Public Construction Commission, and the Directorate-General of Budget Accounting and Statistics.