Mangaluru: Diesel leakage in the high pressure petroleum oil transporting pipeline here at Panjikallu village created panic among the locals here on Wednesday.
The Mangaluru-Bengaluru pipeline burst on Wednesday morning and a large quantity of diesel entered the nearby fields. Soon after noticing diesel oozing out from the line, the locals dialed the Company emergency customer care Centre number displayed by the company board at the spot. But the locals alleged that the staff initially did not receive their calls but did so ultimately at 9.30 PM. They then temporarily plugged the leakage and stopped pumping through the pipeline. 
The locals have complained that the staff at the customer care centre of the company did not respond on time. The number displayed at the board for emergency is not of use, if they do not respond to queries of the locals, they alleged.
Ongoing work of HPCL gas pipeline laid at the same spot also poses danger to the area as it is meant for transporting petroleum products. The locals have expressed concern over the pipeline and have demanded to shift from the residential area.
The diesel flowed into the nearby fields and agricultural area. Had petrol flowed through the pipeline, the whole village would have witnessed a tragedy, say locals. Bantwal fire team, and rural police rushed to the spot and asked the locals not to panic, after reassuring them.
