Gas supply to CNG stations banned to facilitate domestic users

PESHAWAR: After the failure of Sui Southern Gas Pipelines (SNGPL) authorities to ensure uninterrupted gas supply to domestic consumers in provincial metropolis, the Peshawar district administration on Thursday imposed complete ban on operations of CNG stations till January 20, 2022 to improve gas pressure for domestic users.

The chief minister had personally called general manager SNGPL to his office a few weeks ago and directed him to take immediate steps for ensuring gas supply to the domestic consumers.

But neither the general manager took any step that could have improved gas pressure nor did the chief minister follow the issue.

In many places of the city, the residents had been facing acute shortage of gas in their houses. Majority of the residents had been relying on gas cylinders for cooking purposes as gas is not available at cooking times or its pressure is too low to cook food.

In some of the posh areas, including the Peshawar Cantonment, University Town, Shami Road, etc, there has been no gas supply during cooking times since the start of the winter season.

This is the third time the district administration had imposed a ban on supplying gas to CNG stations, some of the gas stations reportedly owned by influential people who were seen selling gas to vehicles, apparently at the connivance of SNGPL authorities.

The residents of Peshawar had lost their trust in the government as well as the SNGPL authorities and preferred to buy gas cylinders for cooking purposes.

“It is imperative to impose complete ban under Section-144, Cr.PC over the operation of CNG stations in the best interest of the general public, in order to ensure sufficient supply of gas to domestic consumers so that public unrest and possible protests may be avoided. I am satisfied that there are sufficient grounds to proceed U/S 144 Cr. PC, in exercise of powers conferred on me u/s 144 Cr.PC, do hereby order and impose complete ban on operations of CNG stations till January 20, 2022, to improve gas pressure to the household/domestic consumers in Peshawar,” said a statement issued by the deputy commissioner, Peshawar.