‘Opposition to a people-friendly and safe scheme by elected representatives is unfortunate’
Mysore/Mysuru: The row kicked up by the ‘direct to home’ Piped Natural Gas (PNG) project launched by the Centre and being implemented in Mysuru has caused deep fissures among the BJP MLAs S.A. Ramdas, L. Nagendra and MP Pratap Simha and today, the MP claimed that there is no chance for anyone to pocket commission in the name of Central Government projects.
“In fact, none of the projects implemented by the PM Narendra Modi Government entails commission and in this project too, there is no such opportunity. Opposition to the project by elected representatives is unfortunate,” said Simha, addressing a press meet on the lawns of Jaladarshini Guest House.
The press meet was shifted to the lawns as the electronic media could not live-telecast the event due to absence of an internet network inside the hall where press meets are usually held.
“The Modi Government has launched many people-friendly projects including Gram Sadak that provides connectivity to villages, toilets to homes under Swachh Bharat, water for all under Jal Jeevan Mission, education through Beti Padao and gas pipeline to homes. These projects are coming to India after 70 years and I am shocked that elected representatives are opposing a people-friendly, cheap and a safe project,” he said.
For the project implementation, all norms have been followed and the road digging charges have been published in the gazette notification by the State Government. As per the rules, Rs. 2,000 has to be paid to dig one metre of road and Rs. 800 has to be paid to drill holes in the same length. Such roads have to be repaired with the consent of the Corporation after meeting standards. Here in the gas pipeline project, rules have been followed and there is no violation,” the MP said.
Compared to LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas), PNG is cheaper, safer and also efficient. “If a consumer pays Rs. 1,000 for an LPG cylinder, he will just pay half the amount for PNG. Mysuru has been selected for the project among 13 cities but our elected representatives are opposing the project giving silly reasons,” Pratap Simha said.
“As it is a gas pipeline project, work cannot be done in a haphazard manner. Krishnaraja and Chamaraja are not fiefdom of certain individuals and they must respect the wishes of people,” he said. Launching a direct attack, Pratap Simha sarcastically said that MLAs Ramdas and Nagendra are senior in politics to PM Modi and probably that is why they are opposing Modi’s projects.
“In Chamaraja alone, over 539.34 km of roads will be dug up and as per the standard rates fixed by the State Government, more than Rs. 300 crore will be paid as road digging charges,” he said and questioned the MLAs that why they were mute spectators when many telecom companies dug up roads to lay cables.
“As per the bylaws of the Public Works Department, any contractor who lays the roads has to maintain it for three years. Why do you lay roads every year during Dasara and what happened to the bylaws? Why do you demand fund release every year,” Simha questioned.
All cooked up statements made by our MP on PNG. No one points out the real difference between LPG and PNG. Calorific value of LPG is 11500Kcal /kg, while PNG is 8000 to 9000 Kcal / Kg. So one has to use more PNG to achieve the required heat and time for cooking. LPG comes with a higher pressure of gas. One using Gas stove of LPG will need to change the nozzle of their gas stove for PNG, and vice versa. Not much of economics works by switching over to PNG. Pricing of PNG also varies from time to time. Metering of PNG is still a confused version, while the company have not addressed this issue. Similar to electricity metering one has to pay a minimum fixed charges whether he consumes gas or not. This is not so with LPG cylinder. In absence of clarification, the rate quoted in SOM as Rs. 700/pm as payment for PNG still holds good. If this is true, why would one pay Rs. 700 when they have a locked house? This scheme stinks of confusion. Will the company provide all details before residents think of switch over? NO & NEVER !!!!
@Prasanna
For once, I agree with you. You have well articulated the case of LPG vs PNG. For households, the switch to PNG makes no economic sense, as the individual control of LPG procuring is replaced by the bureaucratic pricing, which is assured to increase every year. The cost of laying the pipeline and the infrastructure is recovered from the customers on the top of the gas pricing, Insane, it is, if a household switches to this to commit economic suicide! As with electricity, the pricing and supply are out of the control of customers.
Narendra Modi while hiding in his igloo during the last pandemic, did not assure oxygen supply to patients, and thousands of them perished. I would not believe a selfie-loving fool like him or any other politician..
Gas pipelines are prone to leaks, roads need to be digged to seal the leaks. It really require excellent quality pipes, which one cannot expect in India. Gas leak accidents happen. LPGs are safer.