Fact Check: Image from Germany shared as under-construction gas pipeline in UP
An image of a construction site is widely being shared on social media. Users claim it is a construction site of Kandla-Gorakhpur Gas Pipeline in Uttar Pradesh.
By Tejal Sinha Published on 20 Jan 2022 12:30 PM IST
Hyderabad: An image of a construction site is widely being shared on social media.
Users claim it is a construction site of Kandla-Gorakhpur Gas Pipeline in Uttar Pradesh.
Fact Check
The claim is misleading.
NewsMeter began its investigation by searching a few details related to the Gorakhpur LPG Pipeline.
According to the information published on the website of IHBL Limited, "The 2,805 km long Kandla-Gorakhpur LPG pipeline project, Longest LPG pipeline in the world conceived so far, [Gujarat - 1,076 km, MP - 621 km, UP - 1,108 km] is being implemented through a Joint Venture Company of IndianOil, BPCL and HPCL namely IHB limited. The pipeline has been duly authorized by Petroleum & Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) under Common Carrier Category. Being constructed at an investment of Rs. 10088 crore, the pipeline will source LPG from the LPG import terminals on the Western coast located at Kandla, Dahej, and Pipavav and also from two refineries at Koyali and Bina. The pipeline would be directly linked with 22 LPG bottling plants 3 in Gujarat, 6 in Madhya Pradesh, and 13 in Uttar Pradesh."
However, the website did not have a viral image.
It is also to be noted that the foundation stone of the Kandla-Gorakhpur LPG pipeline was laid in 2019.
https://www.ihbl.in/kandla-
We then performed a Google Reverse Image Search of the viral image, which led us to a report published on the website 'WYPR' on February 28, 2018. The website had published a similar image. The report was titled 'Purchase of Utility Would Spark Natural Gas Pipeline Boom in Maryland.'
On further investigation, we found a similar image published by The New York Times on April 08, 2010.
The caption of the image read, "Cranes lower a section of pipe into the ground near Lubmin, Germany."
The image was also published on the website of Getty Images on April 08, 2010. According to the description published on the website, "A worker shouts commands as cranes lower a section of pipe into the ground for the OPAL pipeline on April 8, 2010, near Lubmin, Germany. The OPAL and NEL pipelines will carry natural gas from Russia arriving through the Nord Stream pipeline from the Baltic Sea across Germany and to other countries in Europe. The Nord Stream project delivers Russian natural gas directly to Western Europe and avoids countries in between, such as Poland and Ukraine."
It is therefore evident that the claim made through the viral post is misleading. The viral image is from Germany and not UP.
