Agartala: Tripura govt has targeted to turn Agartala as one of the clean energy consumption city by next five year by bringing entire vehicles under Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) coverage as well as supply pipeline gas for cooking.
Tripura Natural Gas Company Ltd (TNGCL) is all set to bring at least 25000 household under pipe line cooking gas supply network by next year and entire households Agartala Municipal Council (AMC) area will be covered by 2018-19.
After receiving dividend from the company today Industries and Commerce Minister Jitendra Choudhury stated that the administration had been trying to make the city green by reducing the use of cooking gas cylinders and use of petrol and diesel in automobiles.
“Rate of CNG conversion of vehicles in last financial year in Agartala has been registered second highest in the country after Maharashtra and as a result, level of vehicular pollution in the city is reduced substantially,” Choudhury claims.
He pointed that TNGCL was in the process of spreading gas pipeline network about 350 kilometre area of AMC and from next year there would be on demand pipeline connection in the city, which is now covered about 12000 odd families.
Choudhury however, maintained as many as 5000 vehicles of the city are now running with CNG and the state govt is planning to open up two more CNG filling stations at Khayerpur, outskirt of Agartala and Udaipur in South Tripura by next couple of months while two others will be coming up in Bishalgarh and Teliamura.
“We have targeted to dispose of about 20,000 Kilogram of CNG daily, which is at present 16,000 Kilogram per day”, Choudhury said adding that the recent decision of hiking gas price to double would make an adverse impact in clean energy efficiency drive.
He rued Petroleum Ministry had a committee for gas price consultation with the ministers of all the states unfortunately after 2003 there was no meeting of the committee despite several request though gas price hiked without any discussion.
“We are always contemplating that the gas producing states of the country should get some extra concession in gas procurement but it happens, the state like Tripura and Gujarat are buying their own gas at international market price, which is not at all desirable,” he added. (UNI)