Green ruling aids gas

The crackdown by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) on polluting units is expected to push up the demand for natural gas. Demand for the “clean fuel” will also go up from fertiliser units and refineries in the country, with power providing the “icing on the cake”, according to a brokerage.

Natural gas which is the cleanest fossil fuel accounts for a little over 6 per cent of all energy consumed in the country. The government has set a target to increase its share to 15 per cent in another 10 years, which translates into a consumption of 600 million standard cubic metres per day (mscmd) from 153mscmd at present, bulk of which is met from domestic output.