In a rejoinder to Angami Youth Organisation (AYO) statement, the Indradhanush Gas Grid Limited (IGGL) has denied reports of not conducting any awareness programme before starting work on the prestigious North East Gas Grid (NEGG) project.
In a statement, IGGL, a joint venture (JV) company of Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL), Oil & Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC), Gas Authority of India Ltd (GAIL), Oil India Ltd (OIL) and Numaligarh Refinery Ltd (NRL), clarified that awareness programmes were organised in association with Kohima and Chümoukedima district administration, Medziphema, Khehokhu village, Nihokhu village, Kikhryi village and Niuland authorities.
The company also expressed willingness to organise more such camps in future, reemphasising its commitment to transparency and collaboration in addressing the apprehensions expressed by various stakeholders.
The IGGL claimed that the NEGG project was being implemented using state-of-art technology with best internationally-accepted safety provisions. Considering the region’s terrain and topography, the company said rigorous studies, including hazard and operability studies and environmental management plan studies, had been conducted to monitor the pipeline’s integrity and security during the construction as well as the operations phase, ensuring the highest level of safety standards and adhering to guidelines set by regulatory bodies such as the Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (P&GRB), Oil Industry Safety Directorate (OISD), American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), and American Petroleum Institute (API).
The company further mentioned that it was implementing the project in line with the Central government’s Hydrocarbon Vision 2030 for the Northeast, adding that the pipeline would connect the eight North-eastern states to the National Gas Grid and regional sources.
With the commissioning of this 1,656-km gas grid, the company pointed out that industrial and economic growth of the region was expected to get a significant boost.
It clarified that the Dimapur-Kohima-Imphal pipeline, a crucial component of the NEGG project, was being laid along the utility corridor of NH-29 with necessary permissions granted by National Highways & Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd (NHIDCL) and the support from the state government.
The IGGL urged stakeholders, the public, and all parties concerned to recognise pipelines as the safest mode for transporting natural gas, pointing out that the inherent safety of pipelines compared to LPG tanks and cylinders due to the narrower flammability range of natural gas, low density and its widespread geographic distribution.
The company highlighted the rapid expansion of gas pipelines across the country, underscoring their reliability and safety in natural gas transport. Natural gas, as a fast-growing and safe primary energy source, was becoming the fuel of the future, contributing significantly to economic development, it added.
Seeking support from all stakeholders and parties concerned, the IGGL said it was committed to fostering open communication and addressing concerns over the NEGG project.