An ill-planned gas connection strategy by the government has resulted into severe gas shortage, as no one, right from domestic to industrial consumers, is happy with it. Particularly, gas supply to the textile industry is at halt since last week, closing down captive power plants (CPPs) installed by the industry to deal with electricity shortage.
Domestic consumers, also, are crying badly on non-availability of gas despite having priority on supply during the shortage period. CNG stations, as a matter of fact, are proving a bone of contention between the two sides. Prior to the presence of crowd at CNG stations, the situation was not as critical as it is today. The government has miserably failed to strike a balance in setting priority as who should be the first to receive the much needed, cheaper fuel. Resultantly, everyone is crying on the shortage at present.
Head of Aptma's standing committee on energy, Shahzad Ahmed Khan told Business Recorder that as many as 40 CNG stations are installed only in the vicinity of Johar Town Lahore and majority of them are sucking gas from domestic lines through heavy compressors.
CNG Association leader Captain Shuja (Retd), on the other hand, mentioned that those government officials offering 'loot sale' of gas connection licenses during the Musharraf regime are now laughing at CNG owners.
Domestic consumers have become a sandwich between the two powerful lobbies of textile industry and CNG pump owners. They have been squeezed badly, failing to get gas even for cooking food. Also, an ineffective campaign for gas conservation has rubbed salt in the wound, as no one exactly knows when the gas load would be shed for domestic consumers.
Rehan Nawaz, General Manager Sales SNGPL, said SNGPL has launched a media campaign for domestic consumers advising them to cook food during 6 to 8am as well as evening. Interestingly, majority of domestic consumers has no idea of any such media campaign and is involved in fighting with the situation from dawn to dusk.