Assam dissatisfied with non-availability of ONGC gas

The Assam government today expressed displeasure at ONGC's slow pace of work in providing gas to industrial consumers in the state.
"We have been asking ONGC to provide us gas for our industries, but it is not doing enough," Assam Commerce and Industry Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary told reporters here.
Last year, small tea-growers had to throw their produce due to non-availability of gas, he said.
"For the last one year, we have been asking them to give us gas at one place instead of different points in a scattered way. It is a big organisation, but it is not responding properly," Patowary said.

Assam is now talking to Oil India for getting gas from the National Gas Grid in Barauni through a new pipeline, he said adding the company responded positively.
Accordingly, he said, the situation had improved from April.
PSU major Oil India has submitted a feasibility report to the central government for laying gas pipelines from Barauni in Bihar to Numaligarh in Assam to tackle shortage of gas in the North Eastern state.