Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to set up CNG (compressed natural gas) stations in Odisha to reduce air pollution.
“As vehicular emission contributes to air pollution significantly, the Odisha Government is keen to set up CNG stations to facilitate motorised vehicles run on CNG fuels so that pollution caused by such emissions will be reduces,” Patnaik stated in a letter to the Prime Minister.
Pointing out that natural gas and pipeline infrastructure are pre-requisites for establishment of CNG stations, the Chief Minister mentioned that though the Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board has granted authorisation to the GAIl India ltd for laying, building, operating and expanding natural gas pipelines along the Surat-Paradip route under the Petroleum & Natural Gas Regulations, 2008, no significant progress has been made so far in this regard.
On the other hand, H-Energy Pvt ltd has submitted an expression of interest (EoI) to the PNG Ministry for laying, building and operating such a pipeline on the Contai-Paradip-Dattapulia route, he added.
Patnaik said since more than 27,000 auto-rickshaws are plying in the State capital alone apart from other categories of vehicles, vehicular pollution will be reduced considerably if these vehicles are retrofitted to run on CNG. The same can also be extended to town buses, he suggested.
He requested the Prime Minister to look into the matter and direct the PNG Ministry to take suitable action to ensure availability of natural gas, pipeline infrastructure and establishment of CNG stations in the State at the earliest. The State Government would facilitate setting up of such stations, he said.