Patna: Like Delhi, manufacturing plants in Patliputra and Fatuha industrial areas of Patna will run on the piped natural gas (PNG), instead of relying on conventional sources of energy like diesel, LPG, coal and wood. This initiative has been taken to control air pollution.
Officials of the industries department said that preparations are afoot to supply the PNG to factories in the twin industrial areas. Besides the factories, people residing in the area will also get the PNG supply at their doorsteps. Use of PNG will help the industries curb carbon emission.
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“It is a cheaper and cleaner source of energy. Along with this, the cost of transportation of diesel will also be saved. PNG will directly reach the factories through the pipeline. Both industrial areas have more than 100 factories. The work of laying pipelines by Gail (India) in Patliputra and Fatuha industrial areas to supply PNG is going on at a fast pace. About 90% of the pipeline has been laid in Patliputra. Work is also going on in Fatuha Industrial Area. By September, the pipeline will also be laid in Fatuha. Apart from this, there is any industry anywhere in Patna and if it wants to use PNG, it will be provided by tanker.
Soil test for laying pipe inside Punpun river
Gail India officials said that PNG pipeline network is being extended from Zero Mile in Patna to Fatuha Industrial Area of bypass via Phulwarisharif to Anisabad. Pipe has been laid from Fatuha to toll plaza. Soil testing is being conducted for laying PNG supply pipe beneath Punpun riverbed to test the feasibility. The pipe will be inserted about four to five feet underground from the lower surface of Punpun river. PNG will be supplied in industrial areas with pressure more than five times that of households.
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PNG supply started in Patliputra area
PNG has also started being supplied to a factory in Patliputra industrial area. This factory is completely converted to PNG. Devojit, manager of Coca-Cola Company, said that the plant was using PNG from July last year after discontinuing use of carbon emitting oils including diesel. “PNG is directly coming into the company from the pipeline. Due to this, about ₹12 lakh expenditure is being saved every year on transportation. The use of PNG is providing pollution free environment inside the company. Trial has been done in a factory by supplying PNG from tanker in Fatuha industrial area, which has been successful. The factory owners here are liking PNG,” said a Gail (India) officer.
Factory owners have been asked to convert to PNG
Due to the use of diesel, coal, wood etc. in factories, the emission of carbon related gas is very high. Keeping in view generation of high amount of carbon, the Bihar State Pollution Control Board (BSPCB) has asked all factory owners to discontinue the conventional sources of energy and switch over the PNG at the earliest, said S Chandrashekhar, member secretary, BSPCB.
PNG emits 1/10th of carbon than diesel
According to air pollution expert Raviranjan Sinha, using PNG in factories will reduce pollution. Diesel emits more than 10 times the carbon emissions as compared to PNG. If PNG is used in all the factories of Patna, there will be a significant reduction in air pollution.
Along with this, the workers of the factory will avoid diseases caused by smoke. PNG is being used in factories in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and other states. PNG is lighter than air, so in the event of a leak, it rises and expands into thin air. This reduces the risk of fire.
