COVID slows down Goa’s piped gas project

Panaji: The coronavirus pandemic crisis has affected the progress of the piped gas project in the state with just 140 households so far receiving domestic piped natural gas (PNG) for cooking against the target of 500 households by May 2020.

Latest information reveals that work on laying connecting pipelines and last-mile connectivity in several residential localities is badly affected due to the absence of labourers and also lockdown restrictions.

According to Ajay Kumar Jindal, chief executive officer, Goa Natural Gas Pvt Ltd, the joint venture company implementing the project, “Work got stalled due to the lockdown during which the labour departed to their hometowns.  Presently the project is facing a shortage of skilled workers.”

Jindal said that most of the works targeted for completion could not be completed since the pandemic crisis erupted in March 22. He said that the target was for piped gas coverage to all households in Ponda city as well as outlying areas of Panaji (Miramar), Caranzalem and Taleigao.

Jindal added that GNG officials are finding it difficult to enter residential colonies for giving piped gas connections. People are fearful of contacting the virus and not allowing our officers in housing societies, he said.

“The return of migrant workers is anybody’s guess but we are expecting our skilled workers to start coming back once the COVID situation stabilises. Because of the monsoon in the state, it is likely that the project can only be taken up again by October 2020,” said Jindal.

The 140 households, which are presently receiving piped cooking gas, are in housing societies in Jeofil Nagar and Silva Nagar in Ponda,

housing com-

plexes of Adwalpalkar, Models in Caranzalem and complexes in Old Goa.

Meanwhile, on the industrial PNG and compressed natural gas for vehicles, the project’s progress is better.

Two industrial supply agreements for PNG were recently signed by GNG with Savannah Surfactants, and Colgate Palmolive, in Kundaim. Further, a new CNG station was commissioned at Quadros Petroleum, Pednem in June.

The two new customers for industrial PNG are in addition to existing customers such as Godrej Locks and Encube Chemicals both in Madkai, disclosed Jindal.

He said that several large industrial units in Kundaim, Madkai and Ponda are keen to use PNG which is a clean fuel compared to petrol or LPG.

Goa’s natural gas project for cooking, industry and for vehicles is facing several delays due to hurdles in getting permission for laying the pipeline. The project started in 2016, and has completed 160 km of pipeline works till date.