Panaji: Less than 10 per cent of the households registered for piped gas connection in the state actually use natural gas for cooking, bringing about the difficulty of ‘last-mile conversion’ to supply natural gas to domestic consumers.
Speaking to ‘The Navhind Times’ on Monday, CEO of Goa Natural Gas Pvt Ltd Mohammed Zaffar Khan said that majority of households who are already in a gasified area and registered for piped gas with installed gas meter in their homes are found to be reluctant in activating their meters.
“We have observed consumers after paying the initial deposit of Rs 500 and getting a gas meter installed at their place not approaching us again for paying the balance Rs 5,500 to make their gas connection active,” Khan disclosed.
He attributed the problem of “last-mile conversion to the problems at both the ends”.
In some cases the gas supply in the area had not started properly while sometimes the hitch was at the “consumer end”.
According to the GNGL, of the 8,000 households with piped gas registration only 700 are actually consumers.
“There were issues at both sides. However, they are being resolved and we are now seeing an improvement in the households activating their piped gas meters,” Khan said.
He disclosed that about 90 connections have been activated in the last fortnight after the company launched a major campaign to convince consumers to start using piped gas.
“Our officers are visiting customers to solve the issue of last-mile conversion,” he said, adding that households were not willing to allow company officers to enter the kitchen because of COVID-19 fears.
Furthermore about 30 per cent of the customers were not available at home.
To encourage domestic users, the company recently launched a scheme of free gas supply to individuals and housing societies for three months from November to December. Interested consumers have to visit the company website and apply. The scheme is receiving moderate response.
The piped gas supply to households is in three phases. While phase 1 comprises gasification of the area, phase II is installation of the gas meter after paying the deposit of Rs 500. The phase III is of activating the meter after paying the balance deposit (refundable) of Rs 5,500.
The GNGL has supplied piped gas to 700 households, ten industrial units and 25 restaurants and hotels in the last four years.
The company mandate is to supply piped gas in North Goa district of the state.