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Our Bureau

Pune , Nov. 11

THE GAIL (India) Ltd Chairman and Managing Director, Mr Proshanto Banerjee, on Friday inaugurated the Air Pollution Research and DiseaseDiagnostic Centre (APRDC) at Bharati Hospital in Pune.

He told newspersons that the company has sponsored the centre at a cost of Rs 20 lakh.

The APRDC in Pune is the seventh among 22 such centres being sponsored by GAIL in 22 cities in India. Six such centres are operational in Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Solapur, Vijayawada, Rajamundhry and Mathura.

Mr Banerjee said Maharashtra would have three such centres (Mumbai, Pune and Solapur). When asked about the city gas project for Pune, he said a joint venture would be incorporated between Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd and GAIL (India) in the next three months.

The company is also in the process of creating ventures for Kerala, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka. In these ventures, the public sector undertakings would have a share of about 50 per cent, while the rest would come from financial institutions as also State Government entity. Mr Banerjee said talks are in advanced stages in these States.

He said an investment of Rs 500 crore has been earmarked for the development of network, infrastructure and for putting up the Greenfield stations.

Myanmar pipeline: About the Myanmar pipeline project, he said the Myanmar Government has shown keen interest in having GAIL as the preferred buyer for oil from the fields. ONGC Videsh, ONGC's subsidiary for offshore business, along with GAIL, has equities in two blocks in Myanmar.

Gas has been discovered in A1 block in the offshore Shwe field. The two companies also have stakes in the adjoining A3 block. ONGC Videsh has 20 per cent and GAIL has 10 per cent stake, with Daewoo being the operator for the two blocks.

Mr Banerjee said India wants to bring gas from the Shwe field through a pipeline via Bangladesh. While India, Myanmar and Bangladesh have agreed in principle to the laying of pipeline, Bangladesh has raised some bilateral issues with India before agreeing to sign a formal agreement.

He said the company is also looking at other options such as laying a pipeline through Mizoram, Assam, West Bengal, sub sea laying of pipe, or bringing in the gas by ships to the port of Haldia or Paradip.

Mr Banerjee noted that the commercial production of gas is expected to begin in 2008.

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GAIL opens air pollution research centre in Pune

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