By IANS,
New Delhi : Parliamentary approval was Wednesday accorded to a bill that makes acts of terrorism aimed at destruction of oil and gas pipelines and probable cause of loss of life punishable with death sentence.
The Petroleum and Minerals Pipelines (Acquisition of Right of User in Land) Amendment Bill was passed by the Rajya Sabha. The bill had earlier been passed by the Lok Sabha.
It provides for a jail term of a minimum of ten years’ rigorous imprisonment for acts of destruction of pipelines used for transportation of crude oil, petroleum products or gas and may extend to imprisonment for life or death in case the act of sabotage is likely to cause death of any other person.
Replying to debate on the bill, Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas R.P.N. Singh said the government will consider the suggestion for increasing the compensation to the farmers whose land will be used for laying pipelines.
He said the existing legal provisions were not enough to curb the malpractices and new provisions were needed to prevent pilferage of petroleum by organized gangs and saboteurs.
He said village awareness programme and night patrolling of the pipelines has been stepped up.