Govt to give opinion on PNGRB authority on May 26

The government today submitted there is a conflict of opinion over the powers of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) to issue license to companies for retailing CNG and piped gas in cities.

Counsel for the government of India submitted in the Delhi High Court that they were working over the differences and would submit an opinion on May 26, the next date of hearing.

The submission came over the court's direction to the government to give its opinion over the allegations of an organisation called Voice of India that the newly formed PNGRB has issued licences for the city grid pipelines without the authority to do so.

Meanwhile, a division bench headed by Chief Justice A P Shah suggested that the board should stop issuing new licences for retailing compressed natural gas to automobiles and piped cooking gas to households.

"In the meanwhile, the board should not grant any permission," the bench said.

However, it was opposed by the PNGRB's counsel and submitted that it was done under the sections 17 and 19 of the PNGRB Act, 2006, which grants it power to authorise licences.

The bench said, "What is the great hurry in granting permissions."