GAIL seeks ban on construction activities to protect gas pipelines

Highlighting that construction of houses and roads, excavation of aqua ponds, drilling for groundwater are posing a threat to the underground natural gas pipeline laid in Krishna district, the officials of Rajahmundry Assets of GAIL-Krishna-Godavari Basin have urged the authorities to impose a ban on such activities.

In an awareness programme on Wednesday, Rajahmundry base (GAIL-KG Basin) DGM (Operations) S.V. Reddy said burning farm waste and hay should also be banned in the GAIL operational areas. The GAIL has laid pipelines in the surroundings of Gudiwada, Pedana, and Kondapalli and the authorities led by Mr. Reddy have sought the intervention of the district administration to consider the impact on the pipelines if the construction and excavation activities are allowed.

In response, Bandar Revenue Divisional Officer J. Uday Bhaskar has asked the GAIL authorities to post the details of the areas where the pipelines have been laid on the latter’s official website.

“If the details of the pipelines are kept away from the public domain, the land buyers would land in trouble owing to poor awareness. The land data and survey details will help the buyers of the respective stretches plan accordingly, apart from giving a clarity on the activities prohibited in the area,” said Mr. Udaya Bhaskar. He has made it mandatory to erect signboards, alerting the locals on the presence of the gas pipeline.

Fisheries Department Assistant Director M. Raghava Reddy, fire and police officials were present on the occasion.

Breather to farmers

The GAIL officials have clarified that Pedana farmers can cultivate the land where the pipelines have been laid, given that the pipelines are positioned 1.5-metre deep. “All crops can be grown in our operational area, provided the pipelines are not damaged,” said Mr. Reddy.

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