Titas's impractical proposals
Monday, 4 January 2010
Shamsul Huq Zahid
The Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company, according to newspaper reports, is contemplating a number of measures to help avoid the ongoing gas supply shortage in Dhaka and its adjoining areas.
One of the measures would be the closure of the CNG filling stations in Dhaka and its adjoining areas two days a week.
Other Titas actions include reduction of gas supply to a couple of power plants and a urea fertilizer factory. It would reduce gas supply to Siddirganj power plant from 33million cubic feet to 25 million cubic feet (the contracted volume). The company has also decided to stop supply of gas to the NEPC barge-mounted power plant and reduce the gas supply to the Ghorashal fertilizer factory.
The areas under the Titas network have a demand for 1650 million cubic feet of gas a day. But it can supply 1440 million cubic feet.
Some areas of Dhaka city, including Mirpur and Mohammadpur, have been experiencing severe gas shortage between 10am and 3pm everyday. Most CNG filling stations in these areas are forced to suspend their operations during peak hours and residents have to delay their lunch because of the non-availability of piped gas at the end of their cooking stoves.
The Titas has estimated that CNG filling stations closed two days a week would help divert 40 million cubic feet of gas a day to other users.
But the Titas proposals to shut down the CNG filling stations two days a week and reduction of gas supply to power and fertilizer plants might appear to many as strange and highly impractical.
The shutting down of CNG filling stations two days a week in particular would create serious disruption in the transportation of goods and passengers. However, the measure would provide a sigh of relief, though temporarily, to the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), the agency responsible for managing the city traffic system!
Many vehicles, including private cars and buses and trucks, would be forced to keep off the roads if the CNG stations are ordered to stop operations two days a week.
The use of CNG is not similar to that of liquid petroleum products. Most vehicles using CNG have to fill their cylinders everyday. This is particularly true in the case of passenger buses and trucks. A private car having its fuel tank fully loaded octane or petrol in Dhaka city can usually run for two to three days. But it is hardly possible for CNG-driven cars. Moreover, if the government approves the Titas proposal to shut down the CNG filling stations two days a week, the sufferings of CNG users would increase manifold.
Before floating the proposal, has the Titas management taken into its consideration the long queues of vehicles that would be formed before CNG filling stations on the day before the every scheduled weekly closure? Those queues would have all the potentials of creating a traffic- anarchy on some of the Dhaka roads.
Moreover, why should the motor vehicle owners be subjected to sufferings when the government itself had encouraged them to use CNG instead of liquid petroleum products? Every vehicle owner invested some amount of money for CNG conversion. Now it is the responsibility of the government to ensure uninterrupted supply of CNG.
Then again why should Titas consider actions to stop or reduce supply of gas to power plants? Is the power crisis over?
Still there exists a large gap between the demand for, and supply of, power in the country. Even during the winter season, many industries have to use their captive power plants to keep their operations going during peak hours.
The parliamentary standing committee has recently assured the nation of adding nearly 1300 mw electricity within next three to four months. Everybody would be happy if it happens so. But the ongoing developments around the rental and bigger power plants do not make the power consumers that much optimistic.
The people have questioned the wisdom of the men in-charge of the power division for introducing the daylight saving scheme (DSC). The common men do not know how much power could be saved daily through the DSC despite the government's claim about saving about 250MW. The scheme, which would again be operational from March next, had caused immense sufferings to the people, particularly to students and their guardians.
Instead of going for DSC, the power division could save 500 MW to 600MW a day through decisive actions against power pilferage. The systems loss in the power sector, according to official estimate, is more than 20 per cent and much of the loss has been due to power pilferage. Unauthorised power connections in cities and towns are galore. A section of unscrupulous officials and employees of power distribution companies work hand in glove with the unauthorized users of power.
Similarly, the pilferage of gas is also rampant. The Titas hardly initiates drives against unauthorized gas connections. Meters are tampered in collusion with Titas people by a section of industrial users of gas. The company would not have to think about impractical actions such as shutting down of CNG filling stations or reducing gas supply to power plants had it taken stern actions against gas pilferers and their colluders within the Titas itself.
The government should not take into cognizance the Titas proposals that are unrealistic. It should explore other options to beef up supply of gas in Dhaka and its adjoining areas.
..........................................
Zahidmar10@gmail.com
The Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company, according to newspaper reports, is contemplating a number of measures to help avoid the ongoing gas supply shortage in Dhaka and its adjoining areas.
One of the measures would be the closure of the CNG filling stations in Dhaka and its adjoining areas two days a week.
Other Titas actions include reduction of gas supply to a couple of power plants and a urea fertilizer factory. It would reduce gas supply to Siddirganj power plant from 33million cubic feet to 25 million cubic feet (the contracted volume). The company has also decided to stop supply of gas to the NEPC barge-mounted power plant and reduce the gas supply to the Ghorashal fertilizer factory.
The areas under the Titas network have a demand for 1650 million cubic feet of gas a day. But it can supply 1440 million cubic feet.
Some areas of Dhaka city, including Mirpur and Mohammadpur, have been experiencing severe gas shortage between 10am and 3pm everyday. Most CNG filling stations in these areas are forced to suspend their operations during peak hours and residents have to delay their lunch because of the non-availability of piped gas at the end of their cooking stoves.
The Titas has estimated that CNG filling stations closed two days a week would help divert 40 million cubic feet of gas a day to other users.
But the Titas proposals to shut down the CNG filling stations two days a week and reduction of gas supply to power and fertilizer plants might appear to many as strange and highly impractical.
The shutting down of CNG filling stations two days a week in particular would create serious disruption in the transportation of goods and passengers. However, the measure would provide a sigh of relief, though temporarily, to the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), the agency responsible for managing the city traffic system!
Many vehicles, including private cars and buses and trucks, would be forced to keep off the roads if the CNG stations are ordered to stop operations two days a week.
The use of CNG is not similar to that of liquid petroleum products. Most vehicles using CNG have to fill their cylinders everyday. This is particularly true in the case of passenger buses and trucks. A private car having its fuel tank fully loaded octane or petrol in Dhaka city can usually run for two to three days. But it is hardly possible for CNG-driven cars. Moreover, if the government approves the Titas proposal to shut down the CNG filling stations two days a week, the sufferings of CNG users would increase manifold.
Before floating the proposal, has the Titas management taken into its consideration the long queues of vehicles that would be formed before CNG filling stations on the day before the every scheduled weekly closure? Those queues would have all the potentials of creating a traffic- anarchy on some of the Dhaka roads.
Moreover, why should the motor vehicle owners be subjected to sufferings when the government itself had encouraged them to use CNG instead of liquid petroleum products? Every vehicle owner invested some amount of money for CNG conversion. Now it is the responsibility of the government to ensure uninterrupted supply of CNG.
Then again why should Titas consider actions to stop or reduce supply of gas to power plants? Is the power crisis over?
Still there exists a large gap between the demand for, and supply of, power in the country. Even during the winter season, many industries have to use their captive power plants to keep their operations going during peak hours.
The parliamentary standing committee has recently assured the nation of adding nearly 1300 mw electricity within next three to four months. Everybody would be happy if it happens so. But the ongoing developments around the rental and bigger power plants do not make the power consumers that much optimistic.
The people have questioned the wisdom of the men in-charge of the power division for introducing the daylight saving scheme (DSC). The common men do not know how much power could be saved daily through the DSC despite the government's claim about saving about 250MW. The scheme, which would again be operational from March next, had caused immense sufferings to the people, particularly to students and their guardians.
Instead of going for DSC, the power division could save 500 MW to 600MW a day through decisive actions against power pilferage. The systems loss in the power sector, according to official estimate, is more than 20 per cent and much of the loss has been due to power pilferage. Unauthorised power connections in cities and towns are galore. A section of unscrupulous officials and employees of power distribution companies work hand in glove with the unauthorized users of power.
Similarly, the pilferage of gas is also rampant. The Titas hardly initiates drives against unauthorized gas connections. Meters are tampered in collusion with Titas people by a section of industrial users of gas. The company would not have to think about impractical actions such as shutting down of CNG filling stations or reducing gas supply to power plants had it taken stern actions against gas pilferers and their colluders within the Titas itself.
The government should not take into cognizance the Titas proposals that are unrealistic. It should explore other options to beef up supply of gas in Dhaka and its adjoining areas.
..........................................
Zahidmar10@gmail.com