Board backs piped gas for entire Kerala

Kochi: The Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) will actively pursue efforts to bring the whole of Kerala under the city gas distribution (CGD) system. PNGRB chairman D.K. Sarraf told reporters here on Monday that  seven districts in  the state will be brought under the CGD system with the completion of the ninth round of bidding  scheduled to be completed in October. The districts are  Thrissur, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Kannur, Kasargod and Wayanad.

The last date for submission of bids is July 10. A major hurdle in  bringing the  entire state under the CGD system is the  lack of pipeline network connecting the six  districts south of Ernakulam,  he  said.  The PNGRB will discuss the issue with the agencies concerned for establishing the pipeline network, he added. Ernakulam district is the first  to have CGD system in the state.  It   is implemented by Indian Oil -Adani Gas Private Ltd. Mr Ajay Pillai, DGM and head 
of  Indian Oil- Adani Gas Private Ltd,  Kochi,  said nearly  60 per cent of the  work connected  with the project had  been completed.   

According to Mr Sarraf,  the technical bids for the ninth round will be opened on July 12-18 and the financial bid evaluation date will be intimated later. The present schedule of the whole process is scheduled to be completed by October. The share of natural gas in the energy consumption basket of the country is 6.2 percent compared  to the global average of 24 percent.  Stressing the importance of increasing the share of natural gas in the energy consumption basket, Mr  Sarraf said the CGD network business holds ample prospects and opportunities for the investors.

The completion of the ninth round of bidding will bring CDB system to 286 districts spread over 26 states and union territories covering nearly 49 percent of the population and 35  percent of the area. At present, it  covers 130 districts and 19 per cent of the population.  Currently, it has 42  lakh domestic  customers, 30 lakh CNG vehicles, 1,350 CNG stations and 33,000 industrial and commercial customers.