CNG pipe-laying hits land hurdle

Kolkata: The state has pinned hopes on an uninterrupted supply of CNG through pipes for fuelling its mammoth transport system. However, a status report of land acquisition for laying a pipeline for CNG supply revealed the project remains a distant dream.
Currently, a limited amount of CNG is being supplied in cylinders and transported by trucks, pushing up its cost in the city. The pipeline laying received a fillip after NGT intervened following the case filed by green activist Subhas Datta. But, the status report submitted by the district administration revealed that land acquisition is unlikely to be complete before next August, after which the pipeline laying work would resume.
The eastern regional bench of Justice Amit B Sthalekar (judicial member) and Saibal Gupta (expert member) ordered the ministry of petroleum and natural gas to file an affidavit on the pending issues relating to notification for acquisition of right of user in land. The bench also directed Gas Authority of India Ltd.