GAIL pipeline will resolve LPG dearth

KOZHIKODE: The GAIL  pipeline project, which envisages linking the LNG supply to a national grid and providing  piped LNG  to households, will resolve the acute shortage of LPG  in Malabar where there is a delay of some 45 days  to get the refills.   

Most of the consumers there are dependent on private gas agencies when their cylinders go dry.

The Chelari bottling plant of Indian Oil Corporation serving  Malabar is hit by frequent labour strikes disrupting the refill supply. The problem remains unsolved  despite the intervention of political  leaders, district administration and the IOC management.

Since IOC enjoys more than 80 percent of the market share in domestic LPG supply in Malabar, a strike at the  bottling plant affects the majority of consumers. The refill supply had often gone haywire due to routine strikes in the last two years.  

“We are trying hard to streamline the supply. As soon as  normalcy is restored,   there will be fresh strikes putting everything back to square one,” an IOC official said.

“Once the GAIL  project is implemented, it will help the consumers to cut their monthly household expenses by half.  GAIL has planned to give  domestic LNG connections in Ernakulam where the project was completed,” District Collector N. Prasanth told Deccan Chronicle.

He said the entire state would benefit from the project.   “The fears of the public are mostly misplaced and we will conduct  one more consultation-cum-awareness meeting in Kozhikode to allay the fears of the public and to gather support for the project,” Mr Prasanth said.