Hooligan threat to GIGL in Punjab
GSPL India Gasnet (GIGL) wants the Punjab & Haryana High Court to force the Punjab government to ensure police protection when laying pipelines.
On May 2 (2024), Justice Vinod Bhardwaj will hear what steps the Punjab government will take against local farmers who threaten GIGL workers as they try to lay a long-delayed stretch of its 2052-km proposed Mehsana to Bhatinda gas pipeline. After hearing GIGL's plea, Justice Bhardwaj sent a notice to the Punjab government on April 2 (2024).
At stake is work disruption in the Talwandi Sabo area near Bhatinda. Unfinished work includes a pending 7-km section of the main trunk pipeline with two 18-km spur lines.
"Locals and farmers are creating trouble," says a GIGL source. "Our people and the pipeline laying workers receive death threats; hooligans have damaged company vehicles and some of the expensive pipeline laying machinery."
An order from Bhatinda's additional district magistrate instructing the police to support GIGL has gone largely unnoticed. "The police are providing no support," we hear.
"And we cannot complete the pipeline." Despite registering criminal complaints against locals with the police, little seems to have moved.
"On all fronts, we have faced problems," adds GIGL. With project delays have come increased costs.
On March 26 (2021), GIGL revised the cost from Rs6391cr ($764m) to Rs7392cr ($884m). Appearing for GSPL were senior advocate Bipin Ghai with advocates Anupam Bhanot, Nikhil Ghai, and Stuti Sharda.
Additional advocate general Vipan Pal Yadav represented the Punjab government. Incorporated on October 13 (2011), GIGL is a JV between GSPL (52%), IndianOil (26%), Bharat Petroleum (11%) and Hindustan Petroleum (11%).
GIGL won PNGRB permission for the 2052-km Mehsana to Bhatinda gas pipeline on July 7 (2011) with a 36-month completion timeframe.