ONGC gets permission to extract natural-gas from Agartala wildlife sanctuary
What's the story
The state-owned ONGC Tripura Asset would soon start extracting natural gas from Trishna Wildlife Sanctuary in Gomati district, Agartala, following National Wildlife Board's clearance of its proposal.
We have discovered 10-12 gas bearing wells long back in Trishna Wildlife sanctuary. As the gas bearing zones are in the wildlife sanctuary, we needed permission from the National Wildlife Board, ONGC official said today.
Details here.
Approval
Tripura Wildlife Board had sanctioned the project on September 17
"The National Wildlife Board, following recommendations from the state Wildlife Board, has cleared the project on Thursday," Gautam Kumar Singha Roy, Asset Manager of ONGC Tripura Asset said.
He said that after the state Wildlife Board sanctioned the project on September 17, the state government had taken up the issue with National Wildlife Board.
He said ONGC has already begun laying the pipeline.
Supply
Gas extracted would be transported to NEEPCO thermal power project
The entire process would be completed shortly, said Roy.
The gas extracted from Trishna Wildlife Sanctuary would be transported to the North Eastern Electric Power Corporation Ltd (NEEPCO) owned 100 MW gas-based thermal power project at Monarchak, Sipahijala district.
The official said that the ONGC Tripura Asset has completed the exploration target for 2018-19 three months ahead of schedule.
Achieving target
'Exploration target of 19 wells was completed by December itself'
"Our exploration target of 19 wells was completed by December itself and six more wells would be explored in the remaining three months of the current financial year," Roy said.
He added that ONGC has augmented 10 lakh standard cubic meters gas this year compared to last year, which was a record.
50% of the geographical area still remains to be explored, he noted.
Information
ONGC Tripura unit would give Rs. 25cr for Swachh Bharat
Singha Roy said it would be a great achievement if gas is discovered in even 10% area. He further added the Tripura unit of ONGC would provide Rs. 25 crore to the state government for carrying out Swachh Bharat mission, which was launched in 2014.