Fire breaks out at Rajasthan oil refinery before inauguration, Modi’s event postponed

A major fire broke out at a major oil refinery in the Indian state of Rajasthan just a day before the scheduled inauguration, taking an unexpected turn. According to a report by Indian media NDTV, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was scheduled to inaugurate the project on Monday (April 20).
However, the event was postponed due to safety reasons after the fire broke out. Authorities said that thick black smoke was seen rising into the sky from the refinery area during the fire, which was also visible from the surrounding areas. Firefighters quickly reached the spot and were able to control the fire. No casualties have been reported so far.
Officials said that an investigation has already been launched to find out the cause of the incident. The refinery, located in the Pachpadra area of ​​​​Rajasthan’s Balotra district, is considered India’s first greenfield integrated refinery and petrochemical complex. It is a joint venture of Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) and the state government.
According to analysts, the project, if launched, will significantly contribute to reducing import dependence in India’s energy sector and increasing domestic production. In addition, the petrochemical products produced here will create opportunities for use as raw materials for future industries.
It is worth noting that Sonia Gandhi laid the foundation stone of this project on September 22, 2013. Later, in 2018, Prime Minister Modi relaunched the project and its implementation started anew with revised costs.