Anisul Islam Noor :
One hundred and twenty-seven new gas connections had been given to industries, sources said though the issue was not discussed in the gas connection giving committee.
Professor Hossain Monsur, Member-Secretary of the gas connection committee and Chairman of Petrobangla said, that it was not discussed in the meeting. He learnt about the connection later on.
Energy Adviser to the Prime Minister, State Minister for Energy and Power, and other high officials are the members of the committee.
Sources said that about 30 applications were laying at Titas and other gas distribution entities. Of them, the committee for giving gas connection in industry has considered 248 applications.
“We have decided to give gas connections to 29 industries in the first phase and 92 in the second phase after justifying eligibility of the applicants”, the chairman said.
Sources wishing not to be named said that gas connection had been given within two to three weeks to those who paid Tk15 to 50 lakh each. But those, who have applied through proper channel, have been waiting since 2010.
4Earlier, Titas Gas Distribution Company gave 1361 gas connections to industries, gas stations, commercial establishments and residential quarters by passing regular process in three years since July 2010, officials said.
Out of the 1361 connections, the then Titas managing director permitted 120 fresh connections and allowed load increase to 302 industries over the period disregarding all legal procedures.
In early 2011, gas distribution companies, however, started giving new connections to industries on a ‘priority’ basis but on a limited scale.
