Environment friendly natural gas to be available in Dehradun soon
Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone of the gas distribution projects in 129 districts of 19 states in 65 geographic zones under 9th Gas Distribution Bidding Round at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi on Thursday. Dehradun district is part of the project. With this, the Prime Minister also launched the 10th Gas Distribution Bidding Round for 124 districts in 14 states in 50 geographic zones in the country on the occasion. Chief Minister Mr. Trivendra Singh Rawat laid the foundation stone of gas distribution project in Dehradun district.
Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi said that natural gas is more environment friendly, safe cheap and better fuel that coal and other liquid fuels. Prime Minister said that India is consuming only 6.2 per cent of natural gas as compared to world consumption of 23.4 per cent and trying to reach 15 per cent mark. Prime Minister said that after 10thGas Distribution Bidding Round, 70 per cent population in 402 districts in 27 states having 52 per cent of the total geographical area of the country will have the facility of natural gas which ease the life of common man. He further said that there were only 947 CNG stations till 2014 but the number has gone up by 1470 now and by the end of this decade the number will cross 10,000.He said that the city gas distribution is spreading fast and the difficulties in distribution are being resolved. He said that it was an example of “ reform, transform and perform.’
Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi said that earlier people had to stand in queue to get gas connection but now there is no need. He said that LPG connection system was introduced in 1955 and by 2014, a total of 13 crore connections were distributed but in the past four years, a total of 12 crore connections were distributed. He said that their efforts is to meet the 40 per cent energy needs of the country through gas and other non-conventional energy sources.
The state level inaugural function was held at the auditorium of IIP, Dehradun and the programme was conducted through video conferencing. Chief Minister Mr. Trivendra Singh Rawat thanked Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi for linking Dehradun district in the city gas distribution project. He hoped that GAIL will complete the project within one to one and half year. Terming it as gift for the residents of Dehradun, he said that it will help conserve the environment of Dehradun valley. He said that people will get relief with the introduction of gas pipeline from many difficulties and with the establishment of CNG stations, the number of CNG vehicles will increase, easing vehicular pollution in Dehradun valley. Chief Minister said that the number of vehicles in Dehradun is increasing rapidly with increase in the population in the plain areas of the state and this would continue to rise and introduction of CNG will be the best alternative.
On this occasion, Chief Minister Mr. Trivendra Singh Rawat also evaluated the Bio-gas equipment at IIP, Dehradun and sought information about it from scientists.
Chief Minister said that after Haridwar, Udham Singh Nagar and Dehradun, the work of laying gas pipelines will start at Nainital and other places also. He said that the Prime Minister has emphasized on using gas as fuel in the country and many factories facing power scarcity have get new energy from gas fuel. He said that gas fuel is cheap and eco-friendly. He hoped that this will bring a positive change in the lives of people of Dehradun and make them prosperous.
Union Minister of State for Textiles Mr Ajay Tamta also spoke on the occasion. Dr. Ramesh Pokhriyla Nikshank, Mala Raj Luxmi Shah, both MPs, Harbans Kapoor, Umesh Sharma Kau, both MLAs, IIP, Director Ranjan Ray and Sanjeev Kumar and Deepak Kumar of GAIL India were present at the function.