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By:

Quaid Najmi

4 January 2025 at 3:26:24 pm

Gas crunch reaches Mumbai’s high-rise

Mahanagar Gas cuts PNG supply by 50 pc; biz hit Mumbai : Delivering another shock, the Mahanagar Gas Ltd. on Saturday mandated all commercial users to draw only 50 pc of their piped natural gas (PNG) supply with a warning of steep fines and abrupt cut in connection for violators, sending shockwaves in the industry.   This comes barely 48 hours after its first missive (March 12) imposing a 20 per cent  cut in PNG offtake by commercial users, which hit the bakery industry hard, amid...

Gas crunch reaches Mumbai’s high-rise

Mahanagar Gas cuts PNG supply by 50 pc; biz hit Mumbai : Delivering another shock, the Mahanagar Gas Ltd. on Saturday mandated all commercial users to draw only 50 pc of their piped natural gas (PNG) supply with a warning of steep fines and abrupt cut in connection for violators, sending shockwaves in the industry.   This comes barely 48 hours after its first missive (March 12) imposing a 20 per cent  cut in PNG offtake by commercial users, which hit the bakery industry hard, amid  speculation that lakhs of domestic PNG users may be affected next.   The MGL’s directives follow a central order (March 9), calling upon all commercial users to restrict their PNG consumption to only 50 pc of their average usage over the past six months.   The revised rules within 48 hours sent fresh shockwaves among the already panicked commercial PNG users, triggering apprehensions that even domestic consumers may feel the heat with likely ‘rationing’ of their convenient piped fuel connections.   “The gas curtailment is around 50 pc for industrial customers and 20 pc for commercial customers to maintain continuous gas supply to our CNG stations and domestic PNG customers,” a company spokesperson told  The Perfect Voice , justifying its ‘force majeure’ intimations.   Price Revision In its first order, the MGL had indicated a revision in PNG prices due to “gas pooling” arrangements, with the final rates to be announced after consultations with suppliers and the government.   Today, it willy-nilly unveiled the potential harsh hike in the rates of PNG: “We have been informed that any gas drawal by MGL exceeding permissible levels will attract a gas price of Rs 138/Standard Cubic Metre plus VAT.”   Accordingly, all commercial users have been warned that from Friday (March 13), if they cross the threshold limits (50 pc), they will be charged Rs 138/SCM  (Rs. 4091.21/MMBTU), and further usage above the permissible limits would lead to abrupt disconnection of supplies.   Piped Gas Presently, the MGL has over 30-lakh households using PNG in Mumbai and Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), besides 5,200-plus commercial-industrial clients spread in multiple sectors, wholly dependent on piped gas connections.   Additionally, it runs 471-plus CNG stations and supplies it to more than 12-lakh vehicles including public and private transport, with plans to cover large urbanized pockets of Raigad district by 2029   Some of its bulk users include: Godrej Industries Ltd., Larsen & Toubro, Hindalco, several five-star hotels, IT companies, medicare like Asian Heart Institute or Lilavati Hospital, pharmaceutical industry, food and beverages, etc.   Home-makers howl An online achievement school ‘Multiversity of Success’ Founder Dr. Rekhaa Kale (Sion) said if the PNG cuts reach homes, it will disrupt the lives of millions of Mumbaikars. “Now, I regret giving up my LPG cylinders 10 years ago for the PM-Urja scheme, it could have been a life-saver today,” grumbled Dr. Kale.   A private nurse Kirron V. (Dahisar) rued that the real impact of gas shortage will be visible in Mumbai if domestic PNG supplies are also hit. “The so-called elite living in airconditioned high-rises sniggered and ‘looked down’ upon those sweating it out in snaky queues for a LPG cylinder,” she said sarcastically.   As the Gulf War entered the 15 th  day today, the FHRAWI-AHAR Vice-President Pradeep Shetty and other major organisations have repeatedly slammed the government for the acute short supply of LPG leading to chaos all over.

NCP’s festival card to attract voters

Mumbai: As the uncertainty in the state politics is looming large, the NCP led by deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar is making an effort to break down the barrier. He has extended an unexpected invitation to veteran politician Sharad Pawar for Maharashtra Day celebrations. This has raised many eyebrows in the political circle and all eyes are on Pawar Sr about his next move.  


Two years after the split in the party, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) extended an official invitation to veteran politician Sharad Pawar to attend a party function being organised on the occasion of Maharashtra Day on May 1. The NCP has organised ‘Gauravshali Maharashtra’ festival from May 1 to 4 to mark the 65 years of Maharashtra formation.


This move comes two years after their party split, potentially signaling a diplomatic reconciliation. The invitation includes recognizing Pawar's significant political contributions and includes a special pavilion honoring state Chief Ministers.


After the political split, Ajit Pawar took control of the party name and poll symbol, while Sharad Pawar, who is now in the opposition, is heading Nationalist Congress Party (SP). Both Ajit and Sharad Pawar have been seen together in the past two years only in various official meetings and family functions. Both have categorically kept political stands aside and refrained from making any comments, post assembly polls.


Party function

According to sources within the NCP-SP, “This is not a government programme. This is a party function. It is unlikely that after what has happened between Pawars, the veteran leader will share NCP’s stage. Despite the gesture, Sharad Pawar might be hesitant to share the stage with his nephew's faction.


When contacted, state NCP president Sunil Tatkare said, “We will be felicitating all the previous chief ministers of Maharashtra on May 3. We have spoken to Prithviraj Chavan of Congress. We have been told that Uddhav Thackeray is abroad, but we will extend an invitation to him as well. Our executive president Praful Patel will personally meet Sharad Pawar saheb to extend the invitation. We are expecting him at the event. Let’s see what happens”.


Tatkare said that after the formation of Maharashtra on May 1, 1960, various events and cultural programmes took place for five consecutive days. “We will be repeating it by holding celebrations from May 1 to 4,” he added further.


When asked about Sharad Pawar, Tatkare said his contribution to the state and country can never be neglected. “He is a national leader and four-time chief minister of Maharashtra. How can his contribution be neglected? We have extended the invitation and will take a final call on Thursday,” Tatkare pointed out.

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