The Lok Sabha has passed the amendments to the Petroleum and Minerals Pipelines (Acquisition of Right of User in Land) Act, 1962. The legislation is intended to curb the pilferage of oil and sabotage of pipelines by terrorists. It will serve as deterrence to the emerging security threats to the pipeline installations. Replying to the discussion, the Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Mr. R.P.N. Singh said the amendment to the act was necessary to prevent pilferage of petroleum by organized gangs and saboteurs.

The existing legal provisions were not enough to curb the malpractices. The amended legislation provides for deterrent punishment to the culprits. Mr. Singh said, in the last three years, 230 cases of pilferage and sabotage have been reported, mainly from Gujarat , Rajasthan and Haryana. Village awareness programme and night patrolling of the pipelines has been stepped up. Continuous monitoring is done to check the thefts. Death penalty is one of the measures contemplated under the amended bill, he said. The legislation received unanimous approval of the House.