GAIL survey to resume in Malappuram

Malappuram: The second phase survey of the stalled GAIL natural gas pipeline project will resume from February, the company officials said here on Friday.

The 58 kilometres of 505-km-long gas pipeline in Kerala is slated to be laid through the district. Of this, survey has been already completed for 15 km before the people’s resistance hit the project.

 “As we are getting public support and acceptance, the remaining part will be completed in time. The pipe-laying work  will also be started in Malappuram and Kozhikode districts soon after the survey,” said GAIL corporate communication chief manager Jyothi Kumar. The project has remained  dormant for more than a year due to  protests by the affected villagers. The company will  launch an awareness drive throughout the villages in the district to allay the apprehensions. “The government has assured us a smooth run of the project and it will be completed with the support of the public,” he added. Meanwhile, the Gas Pipeline Victims’ Forum expressed  concern  over the  GAIL’s  move. “The entire project is against the rules and regulations mentioned in the 1962 law that bars such projects from densely populated areas. GAIL has undermined the law to achieve the right of the user (RoU) in many places without proper hearing from the public and entered  the next stage to gain  complete right of the land,” said Mr  A. Gopalan, state vice-chairman of the forum. He  added that the gas to be transported through this pipeline was  not for  domestic use.