NEW DELHI, June 26 ? The much-awaited mega gas cracker may finally take off ground, with the Assam Government and Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) being asked to finalise a date for foundation laying ceremony. The development came at the end of the official-level review meeting convened by the Department of Petrochemical here yesterday. The meeting was followed by a meeting between the Union Chemical and Fertilizer Minister, SS Dhinsa and State Industries Minister, Bhubaneswar Kalita, where they were briefed by the official about the outcome of the review meeting.
Subsequently, Dhinsa suggested that Assam Government and RIL officials should confer to decide on the date for foundation laying ceremony of the project, disclosed the State Industries Minister. After meeting the officials of the Petroleum Ministry, it was disclosed that the process of identifying the alternative sources of supply of gas for the Reliance Assam Petrochemical Project was on. It may be recalled here the stalemate over gas supply between Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) and RIL was resolved following intervention of the Petroleum Ministry which undertook to make good the shortfall in supply of feedstock required for the project.
The Petroleum Ministry has assured that they are holding consultations with both the Oil India Limited (OIL) and ONGC to sort out the problem, Kalita said. The ONGC has had committed supply of only part of 1.35 lakh tonne of gas. The Assam gas cracker project, which is estimated to produce two lakh tonne of ethylene, would require 6.35 lakh tonnes of feedstock, out of which the OIL has committed to supply 5 lakh tonne. The remaining 1.35 lakh tonne was to be supplied by the ONGC. The State Minister pointed out that foundation-laying ceremony for the project has become necessary after the site was shifted from Wilton to Lepetkata in Dibrugarh district. However, officials fear that further talks may be delayed owing to critical health of RIL chairman Dhirubhai Ambani, currently admitted in hospital.