Gas vanishes as weather turns chillier

Rawalpindi : The Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) has completely failed to provide full-pressure gas even in scheduled times and as a result helpless people have been forced to buy three-time meals from hotels. The tall claims of SNGPL for improvement in gas supply have dashed to the ground as there is no respite for public from low to zero gas pressure as the weather has turned chillier.

The concerned department promised to provide full pressure gas at least in scheduled timings but in vain. The SNGPL has given a gas schedule from 6:00 am to 9:00 am, from 12:00 to 3:00 pm, and from 6:00 am to 9:00 pm. For a couple of days, gas was not even available for cooking purposes and most of the households used old methods of burning wood, coal or purchasing costly LPG, thanks to corrupt officials of SNGPL (Rawalpindi Region) as they were providing full-pressure gas to hotels, restaurants and posh areas people.

The residents of Adiala Road, Pirwadhai, Morgah, Gulistan Colony, Kohati Bazaar, Misriyal, Tahli Mohri, Dhamyal, Qasim Market, Girja, Tulsa, Jhanda Chichi, Defense Road, Committee Chowk, Sadqiabad, Muslim Town, Khayaban and several other areas are facing zero gas pressure round the clock for some days. Even the gas-sucking compressors have failed to suck gas, people told ‘The News’ here on Saturday. SNGPL Senior Engineer Muhammad Faisal, admitting the fact said that pressure has gone down due to cold weather. “Our teams were working day and night to provide full-pressure gas to consumers,” he claimed. We are laying new supply lines in some areas therefore pressure has gone low. Our staff is also busy with maintenance work in different localities. Pressure will be smooth in some days, he assured.

On the other hand, LPG sellers were taking full advantage of to present situation and selling commodities in ‘black’ at Rs300 per kilogram, The LPG sellers also created an artificial shortage of gas and demanded more and more money to provide the commodity. The local administration, Rawalpindi has also flopped to control this situation.

Talking to ‘The News’ people belonging to different walks of life strongly protested against the government which failed to provide even basic facilities. “We are facing low to zero gas pressure all around but bosses as per routine seeing the whole drama with blind eyes,” they said. Aysha Bhatti, a resident of Defence Road said that my school-going children and husband were going without breakfast. I am surprised that nobody was present here to take any kind of action against SNGPL's corrupt mafia, which she strongly condemned.