After laying more than 70kms of gas pipeline on farmland, the Tamil Nadu government wants GAIL to reroute the laying process and align it with highways. This entails several risks, that of safety, security and maintenance
State-run GAIL (India) Ltd is the largest gas transmission and marketing company in India, operating for the last 25 years, covering over 30,000kms of gas pipelines, out of which they themselves have laid 10,000kms.
At the moment, work on their Kochi to Mangalore gas pipeline, 310kms of which are projected to pass through Coimbatore, Tirupur, Erode, Namakkal, Salem, Dharmapuri and Krishnagiri in Tamil Nadu, has to be stopped at the request of state government. The Tamil Nadu government alleges that the farmers, in some of these areas, feel that laying gas line will lead to a loss of agricultural production!
GAIL has, in the past, laid network of gas pipelines on farmlands in several states like Karnataka, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh Haryana, Gujarat, Goa and Maharashtra, without any trouble. Experience shows that laying the gas pipeline via the farmland is the safest means of transport of gas, which is practised all over the world. It does not affect the farmer who is adequately compensated, and the pipelines are laid one or two metres below the ground level.
BC Tripathi, chairman and managing director (CMD) of GAIL, in a recent interview, has stated that the so-called unrest, agitation and apprehension in the minds of farmers have been created by vested interests. The work on the pipeline started after initial consultation, mutual discussions and after arriving at an understanding with the Tamil Nadu government and with its cooperation, GAIL has, in fact laid more than 70kms of gas pipeline on farmland.
To appease the farmers, it appears the Tamil Nadu government has now proposed that GAIL must reroute the laying process and align it with the highways. Such a change—laying the gas pipeline along with highways—entails several risks, that of safety, security, maintenance etc. Even the process of laying the pipeline would totally disrupt the movement of goods and services during the construction, besides being costly. In addition, such a move would mean that the gas lines would have to be below the national highways, on which heavy loads of traffic will pass!
GAIL, failing to receive an encouraging response from the Tamil Nadu government, has now resorted to take up the issue through the Madras High Court. GAIL feels there is no other alternative means to resolve the issue, though they are keen to sit across with the state government and find a solution to the problem.
Tamil Nadu government must realise that this gas pipeline will bring in much needed gas to the power starved state. Their own revenue will also come in the form of 4 million standard cubic feet per day (mmscmd) of gas to cover the taxes and other levies.
Readers of Moneylife may recall that Tamil Nadu Government had made objections in regard to the development of CBM (coal bed methane), as the Tamil Nadu Pollution Board (TNPB) had not given clearance to the project, though the work on this has been going on for a couple of years. In this particular case, it will be another 60 days or so before we know the recommendations of a Committee appointed for investigating this matter. Such delays only harm the national progress.
GAIL's work on the gas pipeline is also stuck in the same manner, which has followed the laid down procedure of the government, and this interference by Tamil Nadu government cannot be accepted, as it reflects on its poor ability to sort out the mess created by vested interests.
Hopefully, we expect the Court to direct the Tamil Nadu government to assist GAIL in completing the project on time and to take care of the leaders of the agitators.
(AK Ramdas has worked with the Engineering Export Promotion Council of the ministry of commerce. He was also associated with various committees of the Council. His international career took him to places like Beirut, Kuwait and Dubai at a time when these were small trading outposts; and later to the US.)
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1:00 PM Sabu Kottotty 8 comments
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മനàµà´¤àµà´°à´¿ ആരàµà´¯à´¾à´Ÿàµ» à´®àµà´¹à´®àµà´®à´¦àµ ചിലപàµà´ªàµ‹àµ¾ സതàµà´¯à´‚ വിളിചàµà´šàµà´ªà´±à´¯àµà´‚. അതൠസàµà´µà´¨àµà´¤à´‚ പാർടàµà´Ÿà´¿à´¯à´¿à´²àµ† à´…à´¤àµà´¯àµà´¨àµà´¨à´¤à´¨àµà´®à´¾à´°àµà´Ÿàµ† താലàµà´ªà´°àµà´¯à´™àµà´™àµ¾à´•àµà´•àµ അതൠഎതിരാവàµà´•à´¯àµà´‚ ചെയàµà´¯àµà´‚. ഡീസൽ വില വർദàµà´§à´¨à´¯àµà´‚ സബàµà´¸à´¿à´¡à´¿à´¯àµà´Ÿàµ† വെടàµà´Ÿà´¿à´šàµà´šàµà´°àµà´•àµà´•à´²àµà´®à´¾à´¯à´¿ നടàµà´Ÿà´‚ തിരിഞàµà´ž കെ എസൠആർ à´Ÿà´¿ സിയàµà´Ÿàµ† à´°à´•àµà´·à´¾à´•à´µà´šà´®à´¾à´¯à´¿ ബസàµà´¸àµà´•àµ¾ ഗയിൽ വാതകതàµà´¤à´¿à´²àµ‡à´•àµà´•àµ മാറാൻ കേനàµà´¦àµà´°à´¸àµ¼à´•àµà´•à´¾àµ¼ വാഗàµà´¦à´¾à´¨à´‚ ചെയàµà´¤à´¤à´¾à´£àµ 4000 കോടി രൂപ. അതാണൠഗെയിലàµà´®à´¾à´¯à´¿ നടതàµà´¤à´¿à´¯ ആലോചനയിൽ വരàµà´‚ കാലങàµà´™à´³à´¿àµ½ ഒളിഞàµà´žà´¿à´°à´¿à´•àµà´•àµà´¨àµà´¨ ചതി മനസàµà´¸à´¿à´²à´¾à´•àµà´•à´¿ മനàµà´¤àµà´°à´¿ ആരàµà´¯à´¾à´Ÿàµ» വേണàµà´Ÿàµ†à´¨àµà´¨àµ വചàµà´šà´¤àµ. സഹായധനം ഉപയോഗിചàµà´šàµ ബസàµà´¸àµà´•à´³àµ†à´²àµà´²à´¾à´‚ ഗയിൽ വാതകതàµà´¤à´¿à´²àµ‡à´•àµà´•àµ മാറികàµà´•à´´à´¿à´¯àµà´®àµà´ªàµ‹àµ¾ അവരàµà´Ÿàµ† à´¸àµà´µà´à´¾à´µà´‚ മാറിലàµà´²àµ†à´¨àµà´¨àµ ആരàµà´•à´£àµà´Ÿàµ? à´† സമയതàµà´¤àµ വാതകവില വർദàµà´§à´¿à´ªàµà´ªà´¿à´šàµà´šà´¾àµ½ കെ എസൠആർ à´Ÿà´¿ സിയെ മരണതàµà´¤à´¿à´¨àµ വിടàµà´Ÿàµà´•àµŠà´Ÿàµà´•àµà´•àµà´•à´¯àµ‹ ഗയിലിനൠതീറെഴàµà´¤àµà´•à´¯àµ‹ à´…à´²àµà´²à´¾à´¤àµ† മറàµà´±àµŠà´°àµ ഗതിയàµà´®àµà´£àµà´Ÿà´¾à´µà´¿à´²àµà´².
ഗയിൽ വാതക പദàµà´§à´¤à´¿à´•àµŠà´£àµà´Ÿàµ ജനങàµà´™àµ¾à´•àµà´•àµà´£àµà´Ÿà´¾à´•àµà´¨àµà´¨ ലാà´à´•àµà´•à´£à´•àµà´•àµà´•àµ¾ à´¶àµà´°à´¦àµà´§à´¿à´šàµà´šà´¾àµ½à´¤àµà´¤à´¨àµà´¨àµ† വരàµà´‚ കാല "à´—àµà´£"à´™àµà´™à´³àµà´‚ à´µàµà´¯à´•àµà´¤à´®à´¾à´µàµà´‚. ജനവാസ കേനàµà´¦àµà´°à´™àµà´™à´³à´¿à´²àµ‚ടെ à´•à´Ÿà´¨àµà´¨àµà´ªàµ‹à´•àµà´¨àµà´¨ പൈപàµà´ªàµâ€Œà´²àµˆà´¨à´¿àµ½ നിനàµà´¨àµ സബàµâ€Œà´µàµ‡à´•àµ¾ നിർമàµà´®à´¿à´šàµà´šàµ പാചകവാതകം à´•àµà´±à´žàµà´ž ചെലവിൽ വീടàµà´•à´³à´¿à´²àµà´‚ à´²à´àµà´¯à´®à´¾à´•àµà´•àµà´®àµ†à´¨àµà´¨àµà´‚ അതൠകàµà´Ÿàµà´‚à´¬ ബജറàµà´±à´¿àµ½ കാതലായ മാറàµà´±à´®àµà´£àµà´Ÿà´¾à´•àµà´•àµà´®àµ†à´¨àµà´¨àµà´®à´¾à´£àµ വാഗàµà´¦à´¾à´¨à´‚. à´àµ‚മികàµà´²àµà´•àµà´•à´®àµ‹ മറàµà´±àµ†à´¨àµà´¤àµ†à´™àµà´•à´¿à´²àµà´®àµ‹ കൊണàµà´Ÿàµ പൈപàµà´ªàµâ€Œà´²àµˆà´¨àµ à´Žà´¨àµà´¤àµ†à´™àµà´•à´¿à´²àµà´‚ സംà´à´µà´¿à´šàµà´šà´¾àµ½ ഒരൠപàµà´°à´¦àµ‡à´¶à´‚ à´®àµà´´àµà´µàµ» à´¤àµà´Ÿà´šàµà´šàµ നീകàµà´•à´ªàµà´ªàµ†à´Ÿàµà´®àµ†à´¨àµà´¨à´¤àµà´‚ ജീവിതകാലം à´®àµà´´àµà´µàµ» à´¸àµà´µà´¨àµà´¤à´‚ à´àµ‚മിയിൽ à´…à´¨àµà´¯à´°à´¾à´¯à´¿ à´àµ€à´¤à´¿à´¯àµ‹à´Ÿàµ† ജീവികàµà´•àµ‡à´£àµà´Ÿà´¿ വരàµà´®àµ†à´¨àµà´¨àµà´³àµà´³à´¤àµà´‚ മറചàµà´šàµà´µàµ†à´•àµà´•àµà´•à´¯à´¾à´£àµ.
വീടàµà´Ÿà´®àµà´®à´®à´¾àµ¼à´•àµà´•àµ à´—àµà´¯à´¾à´¸à´¿à´¨àµ‡à´•àµà´•à´¾àµ¾ ഇൻഡകàµà´·àµ» à´•àµà´•àµà´•à´±àµà´•à´³àµ‹à´Ÿà´¾à´£àµ ഇനàµà´¨àµ കൂടàµà´¤àµ½ താലàµà´ªà´°àµà´¯à´‚. താരതമàµà´¯àµ‡à´¨ à´à´±àµà´±à´µàµà´‚ അപകടം à´•àµà´±à´žàµà´žà´¤àµà´‚ à´Žà´³àµà´ªàµà´ªà´µàµà´‚ മാലിനàµà´¯à´®àµà´•àµà´¤à´µàµà´®à´¾à´¯à´¤àµà´‚ ഇൻഡകàµà´·àµ» à´•àµà´•àµà´•à´±àµà´•àµ¾ തനàµà´¨àµ†à´¯à´¾à´£àµ. ആവശàµà´¯à´¤àµà´¤à´¿à´¨àµ വൈദàµà´¯àµà´¤à´¿ à´²à´àµà´¯à´®à´¾à´¯à´¾àµ½ നമàµà´•àµà´•àµ à´à´±àµà´±à´µàµà´‚ നനàµà´¨à´¾à´•àµà´¨àµà´¨à´¤àµà´‚ ഇതàµà´¤à´¨àµà´¨àµ†à´¯à´¾à´£àµ. ഇടകàµà´•à´¿à´Ÿàµ†à´¯àµà´£àµà´Ÿà´¾à´•àµà´¨àµà´¨ കറണàµà´Ÿàµà´ªàµ‹à´•àµà´•à´¾à´£àµ ഇൻഡകàµà´·àµ» à´•àµà´•àµà´•à´±à´¿à´¨àµà´±àµ† ശാപം. à´…à´¤àµà´•àµŠà´£àµà´Ÿàµà´¤à´¨àµà´¨àµ† നമàµà´®àµà´Ÿàµ† വൈദàµà´¯àµà´¤à´¿à´ªàµà´°à´¤à´¿à´¸à´¨àµà´§à´¿ മറികടകàµà´•à´¾àµ» à´•à´´à´¿à´žàµà´žà´¾àµ½ ഗാർഹിക ഗാർഹികേതര à´µàµà´¯à´µà´¸à´¾à´¯ മേഖലകളിൽ സാമàµà´ªà´¤àµà´¤à´¿à´•à´®à´¾à´¯à´¿ ഒരൠകàµà´¤à´¿à´šàµà´šàµà´šà´¾à´Ÿàµà´Ÿà´‚ തനàµà´¨àµ† നമàµà´•àµà´•àµà´£àµà´Ÿà´¾à´•àµà´‚.
ആർകàµà´•àµà´‚ à´¬àµà´¦àµà´§à´¿à´®àµà´Ÿàµà´Ÿà´¿à´²àµà´²à´¾à´¤àµ† നഷàµà´Ÿà´‚ തീരെയിലàµà´²à´¾à´¤àµ† ഗയിൽപദàµà´§à´¤à´¿ നടപàµà´ªà´¿à´²à´¾à´•àµà´•à´¾àµ» à´•à´´à´¿à´¯àµà´‚. വാതകതàµà´¤à´¿à´¨àµà´±àµ† വിപണനവàµà´‚ വരàµà´®à´¾à´¨à´µàµà´®à´¾à´£àµ അവരàµà´Ÿàµ† ലകàµà´·àµà´¯à´®àµ†à´™àµà´•à´¿àµ½ പദàµà´§à´¤à´¿ നടപàµà´ªà´¿à´²à´¾à´•àµà´¨àµà´¨à´¤àµ‹à´ŸàµŠà´ªàµà´ªà´‚ നമàµà´®àµà´Ÿàµ† വൈദàµà´¯àµà´¤à´¿à´ªàµà´°à´¤à´¿à´¸à´¨àµà´§à´¿à´¯àµà´‚ പരിഹരികàµà´•à´ªàµà´ªàµ†à´Ÿàµà´‚. ഇപàµà´ªàµ‹àµ¾ ഇവരàµà´Ÿàµ† à´¸àµà´±àµà´±àµ‹à´±àµ‡à´œàµ à´ªàµà´¤àµà´µàµˆà´ªàµà´ªà´¿à´¨à´¿à´²à´¾à´£àµà´³àµà´³à´¤àµ. അവിടെനിനàµà´¨àµ 5 കിലോമീറàµà´±àµ¼ വടകàµà´•àµ മാറിയാണൠഞാറകàµà´•àµ½ 220 കെ. വി. സബൠസàµà´±àµà´±àµ‡à´·àµ». ഇവിടേകàµà´•àµà´³àµà´³ വൈദàµà´¯à´¤à´¿ കളമശàµà´¶àµ‡à´°à´¿à´¯à´¿àµ½ നിനàµà´¨à´¾à´£àµ കൊണàµà´Ÿàµà´µà´°àµà´¨àµà´¨à´¤àµ.
à´ªàµà´¤àµà´µàµˆà´ªàµà´ªà´¿à´¨à´¿àµ½ എൽ എൻ ജി ടെർമിനലിനോടൠചേർനàµà´¨àµ 2000 മെഗാവാടàµà´Ÿàµ†à´™àµà´•à´¿à´²àµà´‚ ശേഷിയàµà´³àµà´³ പവർ à´¸àµà´±àµà´±àµ‡à´·àµ» à´¸àµà´¥à´¾à´ªà´¿à´•àµà´•àµà´•. നിലവിൽ ആവശàµà´¯à´¤àµà´¤à´¿à´¨àµ à´¸àµà´¥à´²à´¸àµ—à´•à´°àµà´¯à´‚ അവിടെ à´²à´àµà´¯à´®à´¾à´£àµ. അവിടെനിനàµà´¨àµ à´…à´žàµà´šàµ കിലോമീറàµà´±àµ¼ മാറിയàµà´³àµà´³ ഞാറകàµà´•à´²à´¿à´²àµà´‚ à´¤àµà´Ÿàµ¼à´¨àµà´¨àµ കളമശàµà´¶àµ‡à´°à´¿ വഴി മാടകàµà´•à´¤àµà´¤à´±à´¯à´¿à´²àµà´‚ വൈദàµà´¯àµà´¤à´¿à´¯àµ†à´¤àµà´¤à´¿à´šàµà´šà´¾àµ½ അവിടെനിനàµà´¨àµ ഇനàµà´¤àµà´¯à´¯à´¿à´²àµ†à´µà´¿à´Ÿàµ‡à´•àµà´•àµà´‚ à´Žà´¤àµà´¤à´¿à´•àµà´•à´¾àµ» ഒരൠതടസàµà´¸à´µàµà´®àµà´£àµà´Ÿà´¾à´µà´¿à´²àµà´². ഗയിലിനൠവാതകവàµà´‚ ചെലവാകàµà´‚ പൈപàµà´ªàµâ€Œà´²àµˆàµ» à´•à´Ÿà´¨àµà´¨àµ പോകàµà´¨àµà´¨ വഴിയിലെ ജനങàµà´™à´³àµà´‚ അവരàµà´Ÿàµ† വാസസàµà´¥à´²à´™àµà´™à´³àµà´‚ കൃഷിയിടങàµà´™à´³àµà´‚ à´¸àµà´°à´•àµà´·à´¿à´¤à´®à´¾à´µàµà´‚. à´’à´ªàµà´ªà´‚ നാം നേരിടàµà´¨àµà´¨ രൂകàµà´·à´®à´¾à´¯ വൈദàµà´¯àµà´¤à´ªàµà´°à´¤à´¿à´¸à´¨àµà´§à´¿à´•àµà´•àµà´‚ പരിഹാരമാവàµà´‚. ആരàµà´¯à´¾à´Ÿàµ» ഇതàµà´°à´¯àµŠà´•àµà´•àµ† à´šà´¿à´¨àµà´¤à´¿à´šàµà´šà´¿à´Ÿàµà´Ÿàµà´£àµà´Ÿà´¾à´µà´¿à´²àµà´²àµ†à´™àµà´•à´¿à´²àµà´‚ ഗയിൽ പദàµà´§à´¤à´¿à´¯à´¿à´²àµ† à´à´¾à´µà´¿à´¯à´¿à´²àµ† ലാà´à´•àµà´•à´£àµà´£àµà´•àµ¾ തിരിചàµà´šà´±à´¿à´žàµà´žàµ à´Žà´¨àµà´¨à´¤àµ അംഗീകരികàµà´•à´¤àµ† വയàµà´¯.
ജനങàµà´™àµ¾à´•àµà´•àµ à´•àµà´±à´žàµà´ž വിലകàµà´•àµ പാചകവാതകം à´Žà´¤àµà´¤à´¿à´•àµà´•àµà´®àµ†à´¨àµà´¨àµ പറഞàµà´ž എൽ എൻ ജി à´•àµà´±à´žàµà´žà´¨à´¿à´°à´•àµà´•à´¿àµ½ വൈദàµà´¯àµà´¤à´¿ à´Žà´¤àµà´¤à´¿à´•àµà´•àµà´®àµ†à´¨àµà´¨àµ തീരàµà´®à´¾à´¨à´¿à´šàµà´šà´¾àµ½ മതി. പൈപàµà´ªàµâ€Œà´²àµˆàµ» à´•à´Ÿà´¨àµà´¨àµ പോകàµà´¨àµà´¨ à´ªàµà´°à´¦àµ‡à´¶à´™àµà´™àµ¾à´•àµà´•àµ കൊടàµà´•àµà´•à´¾à´¨àµà´¦àµà´¦àµ‡à´¶à´¿à´•àµà´•àµà´¨àµà´¨ à´àµ€à´®à´®à´¾à´¯ à´¤àµà´•à´¯àµà´Ÿàµ† ചെറിയ à´à´¾à´—à´‚ മതിയാവàµà´‚ പവർപàµà´²à´¾à´¨àµà´±àµ à´¸àµà´¥à´¾à´ªà´¿à´•àµà´•à´¾àµ». ജനങàµà´™à´³àµ† à´•àµà´Ÿà´¿à´¯àµŠà´´à´¿à´ªàµà´ªà´¿à´šàµà´šàµà´•àµŠà´£àµà´Ÿàµà´‚ അവരàµà´Ÿàµ† ജീവിതതàµà´¤àµ† à´¦àµà´°à´¿à´¤à´¤àµà´¤à´¿à´²à´¾à´´àµâ€Œà´¤àµà´¤à´¿à´•àµà´•àµŠà´£àµà´Ÿàµà´‚ "വികസന"പദàµà´§à´¤à´¿à´•àµ¾ നടപàµà´ªà´¿à´²à´¾à´•àµà´•à´¾àµ» à´¤àµà´¨à´¿à´žàµà´žà´¿à´±à´™àµà´™àµà´®àµà´ªàµ‹àµ¾à´¤à´¿à´¨àµ‡à´•àµà´•à´¾àµ¾ മികചàµà´šà´¤àµà´‚ ആരെയàµà´‚ ബിദàµà´§à´¿à´®àµà´Ÿàµà´Ÿà´¿à´•àµà´•à´¾à´¤àµà´¤à´¤àµà´‚ à´Žà´¨àµà´¨à´¾àµ½ തങàµà´™à´³àµà´Ÿàµ† ലകàµà´·àµà´¯à´‚ നിറവേറàµà´¨àµà´¨à´¤àµà´®à´¾à´¯ രീതിയിൽ à´ªàµà´°à´¸àµà´¤àµà´¤ പദàµà´§à´¤à´¿à´•àµ¾ നടപàµà´ªà´¿à´²à´¾à´•àµà´•à´¾àµ» à´•à´´à´¿à´¯àµà´®àµ‹à´¯àµ†à´¨àµà´¨àµ ആരായàµà´¨àµà´¨à´¤àµ à´Žà´ªàµà´ªàµ‹à´´àµà´‚ നലàµà´²à´¤à´¾à´£àµ. പദàµà´§à´¤à´¿à´•àµ¾ വരണം, പകàµà´·àµ‡ അതൠആളെകàµà´•àµŠà´²àµà´²à´¾à´¨à´¾à´µà´°àµà´¤àµ.
Whats fun in investing heavily for Infrastructure for a commodity, which the global society badly needs a break from? Can we continue on with the same increased rate of burning fossil fuels - and still say we are passing the world with care to our next generations? Should we need a government to invest heavy in better, efficient way to burn fossil fuel and make the world dirtier or make investments in green energy to benefit the mankind?
GAIL's project here, clearly doesn't make any sense from society well-being stand point. I believe that people at GAIL do know about all these, as lot of social well wishers, farmers made their protest in a solid fashion - despite which why should they press on going ahead with the project???