Only 1 refill station for 1,700 CNG auto-rickshaws

Ajay Joshi

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, August 26

Though almost a year have passed since the announcement by the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB), new CNG gas stations are yet to come up in the city.

Owing to this, CNG auto-rickshaw drivers are on the receiving end. They have to travel around 80 km to get their eco-friendly vehicles refilled with the CNG.

To reduce pollution, the PPCB had issued strict guidelines in July last year, that, no new auto-rickshaws operated with petrol and diesel would be allowed in the district and only CNG, LPG or the electric autos would be registered. Besides, new CNG stations would also be set up in every district for the regular supply of the gas.

Following this, auto-rickshaw drivers started purchasing only CNG autos, however, the unavailability of CNG filling stations has left them troubled. There is only one refill station for 1,700 auto-rickshaws.

Auto-rickshaw drivers’ union president Ravi Sabbarwal claimed that there was only one refill station for the 1,700 CNG auto-rickshaws in the city and that too was not supplying the gas for the past 15 days. Hence, the CNG auto drivers have to fill the gas from a filling station near Goraya, situated around 40 km away from the city.

Rajinder, an auto-rickshaw driver, rued that they were also being overcharged.

“The gas that is available at Rs 65 per kg in Goraya is being sold at Rs 89.90 per kg in Jalandhar. Hence, amid the scarcity of CNG pumps here, how would the PPCB directions be followed.

Sikandar Singh (48), who purchased an auto-rickshaw in the beginning of the year said, he has to spend extra bucks on fetching the CNG from Goraya. After purchasing the auto-rickshaw on loan, he has no idea that how he would pay its EMIs as the daily earnings are less due to the limited supply of the gas. Whereas, the owner of the company, Jai Madhok, dealing with supplying of the CNG in the city, Jayant Malik, said he wasn’t getting the gas on subsidised rates. Hence, supplying it on higher rates.

Moreover assured that the gas would be available for auto-rickshaw drivers from Monday night.

Member secretary, PPCB, Krunesh Garg, said the company had ordered a stay against the Punjab Natural Gas Regulatory Commission (PNGRC). Hence, the PPCB wasn’t authorised to take any action.

Drivers suffer 

• There is only one CNG refilling station in the city. 
• Auto-rickshaw drivers have to limit their routes due to lack of availability of required number of CNG pumps. 
• The daily earnings of the auto-rickshaw drivers have decreased due to the unavailability of fuel.
• CNG is available for only five days a week.