Premier Jiang Yi-huah received Kaohsiung City Mayor Chen Chu and representatives from Kaohsiung City Government (KCG) departments this afternoon in the Executive Yuan.
Apart from discussing issues faced during relief and reconstruction following the fatal gas explosions in the city July 31, Jiang and Chen exchanged opinions on the establishment of an underground industrial pipeline databank as well as pipeline security management and the future development of Kaohsiung's petrochemical industry.
KCG employees have worked tirelessly on relief and reconstruction in the disaster area, and thanks to their hard work, order has been gradually restored there, the premier said. He expressed appreciation for the efficiency of Mayor Chen and her team. Jiang also prayed for a speedy recovery for those injured by the blasts and said he hopes that citizens around the country can act as Kaohsiung's backup, sparing no effort to help the city to rebuild and victims to receive follow-up medical care.
As for underground pipeline security, maintenance and management—issues of great public concern—Jiang indicated that he had personally hosted meetings in the Executive Yuan on these matters for two consecutive weeks. The meetings resolved that the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) will propose an amendment of the Factory Management Act that will classify factory pipelines located outside of industrial areas as extensions of the factory's area. This will draw clear lines for maintenance and management responsibilities and strengthen the legal basis for punishing regulation violations in the future, he said.
As legal revision takes time, Jiang instructed Minister without Portfolio Hsu Chun-yat to take inventory of relevant executive orders before amendment procedures are completed. Hsu must finish reviews of the Ministry of the Interior's Public Hazardous Substances & Flammable Pressurized Gases Establishment Standards & Safety Control Regulations and the MOEA's subordinate regulations of the Factory Management Act before the end of this year.
After the legal and regulatory amendments are in place, both central and local governments will be able to conduct management through the platform devised and administered by the MOEA, noted Jiang. Business operations involving public security will need to be both self-managed by businesses and subject to local government supervision in accordance with the law, he added.
In addition to assisting with legal amendments, the central government should join hands with local governments and form task forces to conduct annual inspections to ensure compliance with construction and fire safety regulations and set civilians' minds at ease, said the premier.
The KCG stated that different pipelines should be made of different materials and have different security requirements. The premier requested Minister Hsu to ask the relevant competent authorities to take the KCG's opinions into consideration when Hsu calls them together to discuss the amendment of rules and regulations.
"Pipelines transporting ethylene, propene, butadiene and benzene will be placed under management, and relevant governing standards will also be set up," remarked Jiang.
Given that only Kaohsiung's regulations on road self-management include specific rules to govern industrial underground pipelines involving public security, the premier expressed hope that the KCG can share its experiences so the central government will be able to perfect its statutory regulation to improve the industrial pipeline management mechanisms of all cities and counties.
"Central and local governments must discuss the management of current pipelines together," said Jiang. He gave directions that MOEA Vice Minister Shen Jong-chin and Kaohsiung Deputy Mayor Liu Shih-fang serve as each other's windows for further communication and discussion.
Regarding the establishment of a factory pipeline databank after relevant investigations have concluded, the premier indicated the MOEA will provide Kaohsiung with digitized information within a month. "Hopefully relevant information can be made public in the future. If any of this data involves the nation's important infrastructure, however, the MOEA and KCG will have the responsibility to confirm whether to release it. The KCG will have the final say about how much information to make public," said Jiang.
The central government is very willing to assist with upgrading disaster rescue and relief training and equipment, the premier affirmed. He added that the National Fire Agency is currently taking inventory of relevant equipment, and the management of this equipment will be improved nationwide.
Disaster prevention is more important than disaster response, and if the pipelines are maintained regularly and well, rescue and relief workers will not need to be called into action because accidents will be prevented, the premier indicated.
Regarding the future of Kaohsiung's petrochemical industry, Jiang said, "Since the gas explosions, the people of Kaohsiung have had doubts about the petrochemical factories in their city. However, the petrochemical industry is quite important to Kaohsiung and offers its residents many job opportunities. Hence, everyone must face the challenge of how the industry can develop while safeguarding citizens' safety and quality of life," he said.
As for whether the petrochemical industry should be concentrated in one area or the status quo should be preserved under the premise of external pipe safety, the premier has already instructed agencies like the MOEA to deliberate the issue and exchange views with the KCG. Close communication with the public is also necessary, as the direction of policy can only be set after social consensus is reached, he said.