CM urges petroleum companies to ensure uninterrupted gas supply to tea industry

OUR BUREAU

GUWAHATI, Sept 27: Chief Minister Sarbanda Sonowal has urged all petroleum companies to ensure uninterrupted gas supply to the tea gardens of the state. Stating that tea production in the state has been severely hit by shortage of gas, the Chief Minister said that ONGC, OIL and GAIL must take immediate steps for adequate supply of gas to the tea gardens.

Reiterating the varat and Maharat Companies’ role in maintaining gas production in the state, Chief Minister Sonowal said that around 10 lakh populations spreading across 1.5 lakh big and small tea gardens are dependent on the tea industry. As the present period is the peak season for tea production in Assam, continued shortage in supply of gas will adversely affect the state economy as well, he said.

The Chief Minister also urged all the petroleum companies to raise their production and sought their full cooperation for augmenting tea and other industries in Assam. He requested the companies to find out the causes of leakages in gas supply chain and take steps for optimum utilization of the same. He said that gas based industries of Assam like BCPL will hugely be benefitted by this and it will further help in the growth of ancillary industries. The high level meeting was attended by Assam Industry Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary, MP Kamakhya Prasad Tasa, MP Rameswar Telli, MLAs from Sadia, Lahowal, Tingkhong and Margherita apart from Additiol Secretary of Petroleum Ministry, Govt. of India and other top officials of ONGC, OIL and GAIL