PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/ Ramnagar
While grappling with the LPG uncertainty triggered by West Asia conflict, the people of Ramnagar are pinning their hopes on the piped natural gas (PNG) project, which, despite being largely ready, is yet to become operational. The delay is being primarily ascribed to the non-allocation of land.
Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) has already laid around 14 km of underground pipeline in the town and the pipeline has reached over 800 households. However, gas supply has not commenced as approximately 3,000 square feet of land required for the LPG storage terminal has not yet been identified.
Meanwhile, the LPG crunch in the town continues to worsen. Long queues at gas agencies have become a common sight with consumers struggling to get timely refills. They said that had the pipeline-based gas supply started on time, a large section of the residents would have been receiving gas directly at their homes.
Asked about the delay in finding the land, Ramnagar Nagar Palika officers said that things had been moving ahead with the sub-divisional magistrate Pramod Kumar monitoring things and efforts were on to find a suitable land to take things ahead. “However, following his transfer, the matter was left pending,” said an officer and added that the new SDM has been informed about the impasse and it would be resolved soon.
Meanwhile, after the district BJP vice-president, Ganesh Rawat had urged the district magistrate Lalit Mohan Rayal to take initiative to provide government land for the project, the DM has instructed officials to conduct a joint inspection with HPCL to identify suitable land.
All eyes are now on the administration—whether Ramnagar will soon get piped gas supply in homes or continue to grapple with the ongoing LPG crunch.
