Gas loadshedding hits Pindiites hard

Rawalpindi: The Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) silently started to observe 12 to 16 hours gas loadshedding in several areas of Rawalpindi city and cantonment. The concerned department is providing natural gas to its consumer at the time when families are in deep slumber at night.

The angry residents of affected localities particularly housewives raised hue and cry against the gas load-shedding and strongly criticised the Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) for mismanagement of resources. They accused the officials concerned for ensuring uninterrupted gas supply to houses of high officials and to posh areas, at the expense of middle class and poor areas, where people were not even able to make breakfast due to unavailability of gas.

Despite the recent announcement of Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi that people are getting gas according to their needs, most residential areas of Rawalpindi are suffering due to unannounced gas load-shedding in the morning and evening. Government apathy in this regard has irked all families particularly housewives who are not able to put food on the table for their loved ones.

Natural gas disappears at about 7 am till late night at about 10 pm. Sometimes natural gas in some of localities comes early at around 4 pm or 7 pm. But, majority of localities are facing zero gas pressure in day and night.

SNGPL Senior General Manager (Rawalpindi) Muhammad Zahoor giving policy statements said that they are trying to provide natural gas to all areas. There is problem in demand and supply as majority of families are using gas heaters and geysers in winter, he said. Once again, he promised to boost up gas pressure in all areas soon.

Gas pressure in most localities of Rawalpindi and adjoining rural areas was almost zero which irked citizens all day long. The worst affected areas included Adiala Road, Khayaban-e-Sir Syed, Gulistan Colony, Naik Alam, Mohanpura, Waris Khan, Bangash Colony, Fauji Colony, Chungi No.22, Lalazar, Dheri, Tali Mori, Tanch Bhatta, Sadiqabad, Muslim Town, Dhoke Kala Khan, Millat Colony, Bakra Mandi, Dhoke Syedan, Amar Pura, Shah Khalid Colony, Tipu Road, Raheemabad, Nadeem Colony, Chaman Zar, Dhoke Ratta, Dhoke Mangtaal, Mukha Sing Estate, Morgha, Kotha Kalan, Scheme No-III, Garibabad, Dhok Kashmirian, Qasim Market, Range Road, Jhanda Chichi, Tehmasbad, Pirwdahi and areas inside the cantonment.

It is worth mentioning here that majority of 'naanbais' in affected localities have stopped their business due to absence of natural gas while some of 'naanbais' have increased 'roti' and 'naan' prices.

The angry protesters said that they were suffering from gas load-shedding but the government had only been making hollow promises to them and had failed to address the important issue yet. “The SNGPL is providing natural gas to its consumers after 10:00 pm when there was no use of it,” Kamran Murtaza a resident of Adiala Road said. It seems that SNGPL is favoring LPG dealers to sale the commodity in absence of natural gas, he blamed.

The protesters belonging to lower middle class families complained that they were unable to purchase (LPG) to prepare food since the prices of both LPG and fuel wood was beyond their reach. They appealed the PM to pay heed to their problems and ensure equal distribution of gas supply across the country.

Some key post officials from SNGPL on anonymity said that big bosses have demanded deployment of police force around all gas offices to avoid public protest demonstrations. The officials have requested government to provide them extra security to avoid mob, SNGPL officials claimed.