Mr. Ved Prakash Mahawar, the present ONGC (Oil & Natural Gas Corporation Ltd.) Tripura Asset Manager started his service journey from Mumbai based offshore as an assistant executive engineer 32 years back. Having a flawless grip on ONGC operations, V.P. Mahawar has won CMD’s Young Executive of the year award in the year 1987. He is also the recipient of CMD’s Manager of the year award in the year 1999. From Mumbai to Chennai, Andaman, then North-Eastern States of Assam to Ahmedabad and then joined Tripura ONGC in 2012, as a ONGC Asset Manager.
Mr. Mahawar during his prestigious journey established an IDT School at Deheradun. Which is now one of the best School of its kind in India.

In an exclusive interview with Tripura Infoway News (TIWN) on November 27,2014 , Mr. Mahawar brought up several issues and his long association with ONGC.

TIWN: Sir, pl.tell about your background and your involvement with ONGC. From where you have started your journey?

V.P.Mahawar: I have started my journey from the year 1982, joining the ONGC as an Assistant Executive Engineer in Mumbai Offshore. And then I have been posted at Chennai from where I again went to Andamn, and there I worked for the company for at least 3 years. Throughout my journey and my work for the ONGC, I established a ITD School at Deheradun, which is now considered as one of the best school in India. Then I have come to Assam where I worked for 6 years. Then was the Head of Crisis Manager ONGC at Ahmedabad. Later during the year 2012 I joined Tripura ONGC as an Asset Manager and here I am now.

TIWN: How do you view OTPC Project at Palatana?

V.P.Mahawar: OTPC Project joint venture by the ONGC was introduced to the Nation by the President of India on June 21, 2013 to cater the need of the people and to especially to make the state of Tripura a load shedding free state. The Project has been established at Palatana under South District for the commercial users of the other North-Eastern states except Sikkim, if they are interested enough to take the power from us. The OTPC is also looking forward to share its power with the neighbouring country Bangladesh. It is to say that the Bangladesh govt. had extended its helping hand for bringing the heavy cargos, giant turbines to Palatana OTPC site. The Bangladesh govt. had helped us by allowing access to their ports, through which our turbines and heavy equipments had been transported. And now the Palatana OTPC Unit II is all set to make the state load shedding free and commercial generation of power. As we all know the Palatana 363 MW of Unit II will be inaugurated by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi on December 1, 2014. Following which the OTPC and its partners is fully geared up.

TIWN: Why the OTPC took a longer than expected time to start the Unit I ?

V.P.Mahawar: Since after the inauguration of the Unit I of 363 MW, the turbine had to shut down, as we found some heavy particles in the gas supplied by the ONGC. We have a laid 53 Km gas pipeline to get connect to the OTPC Power Plant for the supply of the gas. But some heavy particles were found in the gas pipeline. Later after analysing those materials, we have done at least 60 pigging operations by some experts from abroad. For 3 to 4 months we stopped supplying gas to the OTPC turbines. Then we installed one Cyclone Separator to bring further heavy materials down, and later an anti-corrosive dose has been injected to the gas pipeline to prevent any kind of corrosive in the gas. With this the ONGC had to bear Rs. 2 crore on its expenditure.

TIWN: Will Palatana Power Plant will succeed to wipe off load shedding?

V.P.Mahawar: The Palatana Power Plant is all set now to wipe off load shedding from the state. Now it depends upon the state govt on how much power they will purchase from the OTPC. 196 MW of power has been allotted for the State Govt. Whereas the rest 530 MW of power has been allotted to the other north eastern states. But as I earlier said that the OTPC is also looking forward to share its power with Bangladesh. Following which we have to install one transformer as the frequency from Tripura to Bangladesh is very less.

TIWN: Tell me about ONGC’s contribution to Palatana.

V.P.Mahawar: The OTPC power plant is ONGC's Rs 10,000-crore power and gas production project in Tripura, which is the company's biggest investment in a single location in Northeastern India. The ONGC had a contract with the OTPC in regard of supplying gas to the OTPC power plant. Currently we are supplying 2.65 million cubic meters gas per day

TIWN: Is ONGC looking forward to set up any other Gas station here in Tripura?

V.P.Mahawar: Yes, recently we have already upgraded our Kunabon GCS, which we call Gas Collecting Station. And beside we are looking forward to set up another GCS at Gojalia area. The land has already been acquired and at least 6 wells had been drilled so far, out of which 4 wells has been gas bearing. The GCS at Gojalia will start functioning by 2017. We are also looking forward for two other GCS at Sonamura and Telimaura. Work is under process.

TIWN: What is ONGC Tripura’s next venture?

V.P.Mahawar: Our next joint venture will be Chambal Fertilizer Plant. The state govt. has its 10 percent share on Chambal fertilizer plant, the ONGC has its 45 percent share and other 45 percent share for the Chambal fertilizer plant. The Tripura govt. has already identified 2 to 3 lands. And for the Chambal fertilizer plant we need 800 acres of land. But frankly speaking the ONGC is not yet established gas allocation for the plant. And to say that the Chambal fertilizer Plant can cater the need of the people of the state. The plant will produce at least 1.3 metric tons of urea every day.

TIWN: What is ONGC’s social responsibility to the state?

V.P.Mahawar: As a public sector enterprise, ONGC has a long and cherished tradition of commendable initiatives, institutionalized programmes and practices of Corporate Social Responsibility which have played a laudable role in the development of several underdeveloped regions of the country. The CSR initiatives of ONGC were marked by unrelenting commitment to several large – scale key projects as well as initiation of several new projects identified under the 12 focus areas of ONGC i.e. – Education, Health Care, sports, etc. Last year we have done at least 260 cataract operations free of cost. And during the year 2013, we have spent Rs. 44 crore for our corporate social service in Tripura.

TIWN: How is the recent preparation of OTPC to welcome Prime Minister Narendra Modi?

V.P.Mahawar: Everything is going well there at Palatana power plant to welcome Prime Minister Modiji. The daily routine checkup is in progress and recently the Palatana Unit – II has generated the power of 363 MW. Now we all are waiting for the inauguration of the Unit – II by Modiji.