The pre-project activities are going on at full steam at the Ennore port for construction of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) regasification terminal that would help ease the energy problem in the state. While Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) is waiting for environmental clearance, it has also started the process for getting approval from the port.

“We will provide them land on the water front and dredge the berth area. Construction works will be undertaken by IOCL itself,” said Ennore Port chairman and managing director, S. Velumani. He added that the recent public hearing conducted by the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board had evoked good response.

With Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation (TIDCO) holding five per cent stake, the Rs 4,500 crore project is expected to provide relief to the state in the wake of current power shortage. “LNG is a good alternative fuel and it can be supplied to gas-based power plants,” said Mr Velumani.

LNG terminal at Ennore port, which is the first one on the east coast, is expected to have five million tonne capacity per annum and can be expanded to 10 million tonne per annum. The IOCL will import LNG fuel in liquid form using storage tanks in special ships, gasify it and sell it in the domestic market.

“The pre-project activities like front-end engineering design study and environment clearance are underway. We expect the company to award contracts for execution of the project soon. If everything goes well, the terminal would be commissioned by 2015-16,” Mr Velumani added.

LNG is an environmental friendly gas that could relieve energy scarcity. While it can be supplied to power plants as raw material, it can also be used by industries that are currently working on naphtha, crude oil and so on. The country currently has two plants operational in Gujarat, while one in Kochi is under construction and expected to be commissioned soon.

Port users, workers upset at move to close Pass section on Sundays

The move by the Chennai Port Trust (CPT) to close the pass section at all places except the extension counter at zero gate on Sundays has evoked an angry response from the port employees and users.

While authorities decided to reduce cost by stopping overtime duty, the transporters faced difficulty on Sunday, when everyone queued up to the zero gate to get their passes renewed. The trailers were stranded till the outer ring road in Madhavaram, 25 kms from zero gate.

“Since many drivers and cleaners, especially those from other districts had to renew their passes at the zero gate entrance, our vehicles had to wait for a longer time on road,” said a miffed trailer owner.

“We don't see any reason for the authorities to suddenly stop the service. If someone couldn't make it to the pass section on Saturday, then how can we ask him or her to wait till Monday? When the port is working 24x7, the pass section should also work on all days,” said G. M. Krishnamurthy, general secretary of Chennai Port Trust Employees Union.

He said, the employees have decided to appeal against the recent move by CPT, which seems to have taken this decision as part of austerity measures.