Staff Correspondent, Ctg
The Council of Advisers at its meeting here yesterday decided to provide 20 mcf (million cubic feet) additional gas and set up a 50-MW rental power plant for immediate and short-term solutions to the acute gas and power crises prevailing in Chittagong. Chaired by Chief Adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed, the meeting also discussed the draft National Coal Policy and asked the energy ministry to place the draft policy again after scrutiny.
Held at Chittagong Circuit House, the meeting decided to set up a separate gas distribution centre titled “Karnaphuli Gas Systems Limited (KGSL)” to ensure smooth distribution of gas in Chittagong. To resolve seat crisis in the educational institutions, the meeting decided to increase additional 19,000 seats through infrastructure development of six private schools and setting up of two new model school and colleges here at a cost of Tk 71 crore.
“Different local issues like acute gas and power crises and waterlogging prevailing in the port city featured in the meeting where we have tried to give some immediate and short-term solutions to the problems,” said Chief Adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed at a press briefing after the meeting. “Additional gas will be supplied to the industrial units that could not go into operation for want of gas,“ he said. “As a short-term solution to power crisis, we have decided to set up a furnace oil-run rental power plant,” he said, adding, “Though we know it will be a bit expensive, we have to look for an alternative way of producing power as an instant solution.”
Regarding the proposal for setting up coastal township in Chittagong by the world leading steel manufacturer, Mittal Group, the chief adviser said the government is actively considering the proposal. “Talks with Board of Investment (BoI) and others concerned are going on,” he said, adding, “Since it’s a huge project all the details need to be discussed thoroughly.”
Briefing the reporters, Commerce and Education adviser Hossain Zillur Rahman said 20 mcf additional gas will be provided for Chittagong through two separate supply lines from Bangura and Bakharabad gas fields. Of the 20 mcf gas, 10 mcf will be supplied to the already installed industrial units that could not go into operation while the rest will be required for producing 40MW electricity at the existing plants.
Besides setting up of the 50MW rental power plant under short-term solution, initiative was there to ensure smooth and equitable distribution of power through demand management, said the commerce adviser. He said a Tk 95 crore project for infrastructure and drainage system and a Tk 22 crore project on garbage management are awaiting Ecnec approval. The meeting decided to provide all out cooperation for implementation of the Tk 10,000 crore JBIC (Japan Bank for International Cooperation) project for construction of outer ring road in Chittagong.
“Besides, we will hold talks with the Italian ambassador for reviving and immediate implementation of Madunaghat Water Treatment Plant to resolve the water crisis in the port city,” said the commerce adviser. The meeting thoroughly discussed and laid emphasis on implementing projects for construction and repair of six inter-district highway and roads in this region, he said. Moreover, the meeting underscored the need for taking decision on priority basis on construction of Chittagong-Dohazari-Cox’s Bazar (upto Ghundhum bordering Myanmar) railway track involving Tk 1300 crore.
The meeting also decided to take up project for setting up the CDA proposed IT tower. To overcome the godown crisis in the port city, the meeting decided to set up seven warehouses in the city’s Dewanhat area. Besides, the meeting also decided to approve two projects (Gymnasium and Prof Yunus Social Science Building) of Chittagong University and construction of an annex building of Chittagong Circuit House, said the commerce adviser.
UNB adds: while visiting the construction site of the 3rd Karnaphuli Bridge in the morning, the chief adviser directed the authorities concerned to complete the bridge and its approach road at the same time. He mentioned that some big bridges in the country had been opened to traffic without completion of its approach road. As a result, full benefits of the bridges could not be derived soon after those were opened to traffic.
The CA was informed that the construction of 950- metre long and 24.47-metre wide bridge over the Karnaphuli is expected to be completed by July 2009, two months ahead of schedule. The bridge is under construction at a site between Bakulia and Shikalbaha on the Chittagong-Cox’s Bazar highway. The total cost of the bridge along with 1.5 kilomtre approach road and 2.6 kilometre service road is Tk 590 crore of which Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED) provided Tk 372 crore, while the rest Tk 218 crore was financed by the Bangladesh government.
The chief adviser expressed satisfaction with the progress of the construction work and hoped that the bridge would be opened to traffic well ahead of the schedule.
Held at Chittagong Circuit House, the meeting decided to set up a separate gas distribution centre titled “Karnaphuli Gas Systems Limited (KGSL)” to ensure smooth distribution of gas in Chittagong. To resolve seat crisis in the educational institutions, the meeting decided to increase additional 19,000 seats through infrastructure development of six private schools and setting up of two new model school and colleges here at a cost of Tk 71 crore.
“Different local issues like acute gas and power crises and waterlogging prevailing in the port city featured in the meeting where we have tried to give some immediate and short-term solutions to the problems,” said Chief Adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed at a press briefing after the meeting. “Additional gas will be supplied to the industrial units that could not go into operation for want of gas,“ he said. “As a short-term solution to power crisis, we have decided to set up a furnace oil-run rental power plant,” he said, adding, “Though we know it will be a bit expensive, we have to look for an alternative way of producing power as an instant solution.”
Regarding the proposal for setting up coastal township in Chittagong by the world leading steel manufacturer, Mittal Group, the chief adviser said the government is actively considering the proposal. “Talks with Board of Investment (BoI) and others concerned are going on,” he said, adding, “Since it’s a huge project all the details need to be discussed thoroughly.”
Briefing the reporters, Commerce and Education adviser Hossain Zillur Rahman said 20 mcf additional gas will be provided for Chittagong through two separate supply lines from Bangura and Bakharabad gas fields. Of the 20 mcf gas, 10 mcf will be supplied to the already installed industrial units that could not go into operation while the rest will be required for producing 40MW electricity at the existing plants.
Besides setting up of the 50MW rental power plant under short-term solution, initiative was there to ensure smooth and equitable distribution of power through demand management, said the commerce adviser. He said a Tk 95 crore project for infrastructure and drainage system and a Tk 22 crore project on garbage management are awaiting Ecnec approval. The meeting decided to provide all out cooperation for implementation of the Tk 10,000 crore JBIC (Japan Bank for International Cooperation) project for construction of outer ring road in Chittagong.
“Besides, we will hold talks with the Italian ambassador for reviving and immediate implementation of Madunaghat Water Treatment Plant to resolve the water crisis in the port city,” said the commerce adviser. The meeting thoroughly discussed and laid emphasis on implementing projects for construction and repair of six inter-district highway and roads in this region, he said. Moreover, the meeting underscored the need for taking decision on priority basis on construction of Chittagong-Dohazari-Cox’s Bazar (upto Ghundhum bordering Myanmar) railway track involving Tk 1300 crore.
The meeting also decided to take up project for setting up the CDA proposed IT tower. To overcome the godown crisis in the port city, the meeting decided to set up seven warehouses in the city’s Dewanhat area. Besides, the meeting also decided to approve two projects (Gymnasium and Prof Yunus Social Science Building) of Chittagong University and construction of an annex building of Chittagong Circuit House, said the commerce adviser.
UNB adds: while visiting the construction site of the 3rd Karnaphuli Bridge in the morning, the chief adviser directed the authorities concerned to complete the bridge and its approach road at the same time. He mentioned that some big bridges in the country had been opened to traffic without completion of its approach road. As a result, full benefits of the bridges could not be derived soon after those were opened to traffic.
The CA was informed that the construction of 950- metre long and 24.47-metre wide bridge over the Karnaphuli is expected to be completed by July 2009, two months ahead of schedule. The bridge is under construction at a site between Bakulia and Shikalbaha on the Chittagong-Cox’s Bazar highway. The total cost of the bridge along with 1.5 kilomtre approach road and 2.6 kilometre service road is Tk 590 crore of which Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED) provided Tk 372 crore, while the rest Tk 218 crore was financed by the Bangladesh government.
The chief adviser expressed satisfaction with the progress of the construction work and hoped that the bridge would be opened to traffic well ahead of the schedule.
The Daily Star
Date: 14/08/08
Link: http://thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=50388
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