India launches biggest city gas distribution auction
New Delhi, May 8:In a major step towards ushering in a clean gas-based economy, India on Tuesday launched its biggest auction of city gas distribution (CGD) networks, offering permits for selling compressed and piped natural gas (CNG and PNG) in 86 geographical areas.
Awards from the 9th CGD licensing round would help bring gas coverage to 174 districts in 22 states and Union Territories, covering 29 per cent of the country's area and 24 percent of the population, said Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan launching the bidding round here.
According to the Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB), which organised a roadshow here to promote the auction, the ninth bid round is expected to attract investment of Rs 70,000 crore.
"This is the biggest step so far in CGD expansion, towards raising the gas share in the country's energy mix from 6.2 per cent to 15 per cent in a few years," Pradhan said.
So far, existing 91 geographical areas have been awarded to companies like Indraprastha Gas, GAIL Gas and Gujarat Gas, which cover 11 per cent of area and 19 per cent of the population.
The existing CGD networks are concentrated in the northern and western regions of the country.
"With this, the regulator is also acting as a facilitator for the CGD network," Pradhan said referring to the role of the PNGRB.
Changes have been made to the bidding conditions to facilitate greater return from the exercise. For instance, CGD networks have been granted status of utilities by the Union Labour Ministry.
Under the changed parameters, maximum weightage of 50 per cent has been given to the number of piped gas connections proposed in eight years from the date of authorisation, as against 30 per cent earlier.
The number of CNG dispensing stations proposed to be set up has been given 20 per cent weightage. Length of the pipeline to be laid in a geographical area, and the tariffs proposed for city gas and CNG have been granted 10 per cent weightage each.
Besides, there is a floor tariff of Rs 30 for city gas and Rs 2 per kg for CNG to prevent bidders from quoting unviable low tariffs.
Companies with net worth of not less than Rs 150 crore can bid for cities with a population of 50 lakh and more, while it is Rs 100 crore for cities with 20 lakh to 50 lakh population. Firms with Rs 5 crore net worth are eligible to bid for cities that have less than 10 lakh population.
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Bhopal gas tragedy: Effects of leak seen in next generation of survivors, says ex-forensic doctor
Bhopal (PTI): The effects of poisonous gases that leaked from the Union Carbide factory in Madhya Pradesh's Bhopal 40 years ago were seen in the next generations of those who survived the tragedy, a former government forensic doctor has said.
At least 3,787 people were killed, and more than five lakh were affected after a toxic gas leaked from the pesticide factory in the city on the intervening night of December 2 and 3, 1984.
Speaking at an event held by organisations of gas tragedy survivors on Saturday, Dr D K Satpathy, former head of the forensics department of Bhopal's Gandhi Medical College, said he performed 875 post-mortems on the first day of the disaster and witnessed 18,000 autopsies the next five years.
Sathpathy claimed Union Carbide had denied questions about the effects of poisonous gases on unborn children of women survivors and said effects would not cross the placental barrier in the womb in any condition.
He said blood samples of pregnant women who died in the tragedy were examined, and it was found that 50 per cent of poisonous substances found in the mother were also found in the child in her womb.
Children born to surviving mothers had the poisonous substances in their system, and this affected the health of the next generation, Sathpathy claimed and questioned why research on this was stopped.
Such effects will continue for generations, he said.
Satpathy said it was said that MIC gas leaked from the Union Carbide plant, and when it came in contact with water, thousands of gases were formed, and some of these caused cancer, blood pressure and liver damage.
Rachna Dhingra of Bhopal Group for Information and Action said Satpathy, who carried out most autopsies, and other first responders in the 1984 disaster, including the senior doctors in the emergency ward and persons involved in mass burials, narrated their experiences during the event.
Rashida Bee, president of the Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Stationery Karmchari Sangh, a poster exhibition covering every aspect of the disaster will be held till December 4 to mark the 40th anniversary of the tragedy.
An anniversary rally will be organised, with focus on global corporate crimes such as industrial pollution and climate change, she said.
