ACTIVIST HELD FOR PROTESTING AGAINST GAIL’S PIPELINE PROJECT

Prelims level : Growth, Development, National Mains level : Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development
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Why in News:

  • The organiser of the Tamil Nadu Nilam Neer Padukappu Iyyakkam, K.M. Iraniyan, was arrested by the Sembanarkoil police for staging a protest and allegedly intimidating workers engaged by the Gas Authority of India Limited (GAIL) for laying a pipeline at Umayalpuram.

Details:

  • GAIL is laying the pipeline for carrying gas between the ONGC’s field in Madhanam and Memathur in the district.
  • Mr. Iraniyan was booked under Sections 143 (unlawful assembly), 341 (punishment for wrongful restraint), 147 (rioting) and 506 (1) (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code.

GAIL 

  • GAIL is the largest state-owned natural gas processing and distribution company in India. It is headquartered in New Delhi. It has following business segments: natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas transmission, liquid hydrocarbon, city gas distribution, petrochemical, exploration and production, GAILTEL and electricity generation. It was conferred with the Maharatna status in February 2013 by the Government of India.

What is the Project?

  • The Kochi LNG terminal was meant to ensure natural gas supply for domestic and industrial use in Kerala and in South India.
  • GAIL envisaged a pipeline to transport natural gas from Kochi to Mangaluru and Bengaluru. The Kochi-Koottanad-Bengaluru-Mangaluru Pipeline (KKBMPL) project was thus conceived in 2007. The first phase aimed at linking the terminal with local industrial users, including Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited.
  • The second phase of the pipeline was to go through seven districts of Kerala, besides covering parts of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.

objectives of pipeline:

  • To bring 16 million metric standard cubic metres per day of natural gas from Petronet LNG terminal in Kochi to southern states and connecting the southern states of Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka to the national gas grid
  • To make available cheap fuel for industries, especially power plants and fertilisers To provide clean and green fuel for vehicular transport
  • To provide Piped gas for homes
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