Kota’s piped gas supply faces housing society roadblock
KOTA: Despite several assurances of the system being safe some residents of Kanchanjunga society are adamant of not letting DRS work.
RAVI AGGARWAL, managing director, RSGL
It seems the piped natural gas (PNG) supply to domestic consumers in Kota will take some more time. A group of people of the Kanchanjunga society in Kota are opposing the setting up of distribution regulatory system (DRS) on the society campus. They want the DRS to be shifted out of the society campus.
The DRS is a source point from where the PNG is supplied to a large group of domestic consumers. Recently, Rajasthan State Gas Limited (RSGL), the company responsible for implementing the PNG supply project in Kota, held a meeting with the society members and tried to address their concerns regarding DRS safety, but the meeting ended in a stalemate.
“Despite several assurances of DRS system being a safe system, which is operating in several cities of country including Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad and others, some residents of Kanchanjunga society are adamant of not letting DRS work,” said Ravi Aggarwal, managing director, RSGL (Kota).
Ravi Aggarwal said the Gas Authority of India Limited (GAIL) had signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the builder of Kanchanjunga society in 2010 for PNG supply to around 160 flats of the society, but due to some reasons the company could not implement the project. Last year, after formation of RSGL, a joint venture of GAIL and Rajasthan State Petroleum Corporation Limited (RSPCL), Kota was selected for laying the PNG supply network.
The RSGL laid the PNG supply network in Kota and set up a DRS system in the Kanchanjunga society to supply the domestic gas to consumers. The company also put up safety warnings on the society campus, following which some society people got concerned and decided to protest the DRS on their society campus.
“In 2010, GAIL had signed MoU for supplying PNG to 160 flats of our society, but nowhere in the agreement it was mentioned that they will establish DRS system (on the society campus),” said Adarsh Aggarwal, a member of Kanchanjunga society.
“Residents were alerted when they saw guidelines written over the DRS for the residents of the society that no one will be park vehicles, use mobile phones and kids will not be allowed to play near DRS, which has been established in around 800 square feet area,” he added.
Adarsh Aggarwal said since RSGL is not taking responsibility for any mishap resulting from the DRS in future, the residents have decided to oppose the system. He said the society residents want the DRS shifted out on a government land.
Ravi Aggarwal said that the DRS would be used to supply PNG gas to 4,000 houses. He said there was a plan to set up another DRS at the Kota Military Station to supply PNG to around 2,800 houses.