The Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board moots strong regulatory measures in Paradip region for the upcoming investment in Orissa in Petroleum sector.

While addressing an interactive session organized by Confederation of Indian Industry Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board Chairman Lalit Mansingh said that the Petroleum, Chemical and Petrochemical Investment Region (PCPIR) will require transparent mechanism like single window clearance at the local level. 

Priyabrat Patnaik, CMD IDCO and Santosh Mohapatra CEO Dhamra Port Company also graced the occasion.

Mr Mansingh came here to create awareness about the regulatory framework in the petroleum and natural gas sector here on Friday.

Speaking of opportunities opening up in Orissa in the power and natural gas sector, Mr Mansingh said, “Energy security of the country depends on getting pipelines from Iran, Myanmar or Bangladesh.

Among others M Partha Tripathy, Manager, IL&FS, IDCO; JP Pany, past-Chairman, CII and Ms Suparna Nanda, Head, CII-Orissa State Office were present on the occasion. 

In Orissa, before the board was constituted the government of India had approved of 9 pipelines, out of which two pass through coastal Orissa.

The first one is the Kakinada-Howrah pipeline, which is supposed to be commissioned by 2012, but the work has not started.

We are trying our best to start work on this. The second pipeline is the Surat-Paradip pipeline.

This pipeline has already been approved.

By next week we will be inviting bids for the Surat-Paradip pipeline.

These will help in better distribution of gas, especially in the Paradip Region, which will be covered by the gas distribution network.”

Speaking on the occasion, Mr.Patnaik, CMD IDCO said, “PCPIR stands for Petroleum, Chemical and Petrochemical Investment Region that is as a concept it emerged at a time in 2005-2006.

Keeping this in view, different states were invited for discussions at various levels.

Out of these, three proposals have been approved by the Government of India. i.e. for Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat and West Bengal.

The fourth one would hopefully be Orissa.

Paradeep qualifies for the location of the PCPIR- 284.15 sq.km (70214 acres) in Jagatsinghpur and Kendrapara districts have been suggested as locations for PCPIR in Orissa.

For Phase-I, IDCO has already filed requisitions in respect of 90 per cent of the land required in the first phase and they are in various stages of acquisition.

The total investment envisaged for Phase I and Phase II is Rs 13,634 crores.

The investment in Paradeep PCPIR has been estimated to Rs. 274,134 crores.”