LNG pipeline laying: GAIL halted in its track

KOCHI: The Gas Authority of India has been halted on its track from laying its pipes on the premises of the Naval Armament Depot (NAD), the Cooperative Medical College and the Corporation.The pipes were meant for the transportation of  Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG).  Ignoring the clearance certificates issued by government agencies (Single Window Clearance Board and Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation), the NAD, the Cooperative College and the Corporation have issued a stop memo against the pipe-laying works.Notices were issued to the GAIL stating that the pipe-laying work is unauthorised and that it should be stopped immediately.The SWCB had on September 24, 2010, issued a blanket Single Window Clearance certificate to GAIL, a Central Government institution. Another clearance certificate was issued by the KSIDC.However, the demand seeking written permission from all concerned before laying pipes is uncalled for as the work has already received a blanket clearance from the state government.Mayor Tony Chammany says the stop memo was issued at Brahmapuram as the actual value of the land needed for laying the pipes has to be calculated and ten per cent of it has to be  collected as road-cutting charges. It is mandatory for the council to give its nod for the work, he said.The hurdles before the prestigious LNG project will delay the laying of the pipes to an extent of 43 km.  The first phase, including the City Gas Project, for providing cooking gas, and Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) for vehicles will not be available soon.The pipeline from Kochi to Mangalore will have feeder-lines to Vypeen, Udyogamandal, Kalamassery and Kakkanad and 60 per cent of the work has been completed.  These pipelines will benefit industries like Apollo Tyres, BSES Kerala Power Ltd, Nitta Gelatin India Ltd, the proposed Brahmapuram Power Plant, BPCL, Travancore Cochin Chemicals, FACT and the proposed Smart City project.  The Green Revolution Project is expected to fetch an annual income of Rs 1,000 crore for the state government.  The City Gas Project could deliver cooking gas at a cheaper rate for the residents of Kochi and the CNG for vehicles could help reduce the emission of carbon dioxide from vehicles.