The residents of twin cities of Rawalpindi/ Islamabad are facing severe problem of low gas pressure, which has made their lives miserable. Talking to Business Recorder here on Saturday they said that they were unable to cook anything at home. They had to stand in long queues outside restaurants and tandoors during breakfast and dinner times.
Jahageer Khan, a Tandoor operator said that due to low gas pressure tandoor owners were using Liquefied Natural Gas (LPG) or firewood to operate their tandoors. People said that the traders of LPG have raised the price manifold, as at present LPG is available at Rs 145 per kg, which is Rs 60 higher than the LPG production cost.
Mudasir Raja, a trader at Raja Bazaar said that the people were passing through difficult phase owing to mismanagement on the part of the authorities concerned, blaming supply of gas to CNG and industrial sectors the main reason for hindrance in gas supply to domestic consumers that prompted the twin cities' residents to stage protest demonstration.
Rafi Awan, a taxi driver said that from cantonment board to Chaklala scheme, interior parts of the city, Khayaban-e-Sir Syed, Pindora, Stadium road (Double Road) and adjoining areas people blocked roads on daily basis to protest against low gas pressure.
"We have been facing the problem for the last several weeks due to gas loadshedding. The pressure is too low and it takes hours to make only tea. In some areas there is no gas and complete outage of gas is being witnessed. But at the end of month, we receive the bills in thousands," Azhar kiyani a resident of G-6 are said.
"A person who earns Rs 7000 can not afford LPG or firewood which is being sold at Rs 145 per kg and Rs 450 per 40 kg respectively," said Nasir Ahmed Awan a resident of Satellite Town Rawalpindi. Awan said that people from his locality have time and again lodged complaints with Sui-Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) for smooth supply of gas but all in vain. Failing to get any positive response from the authorities concerned, they were purchasing bread from tandoor.
When contacted Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) Chief Engineer Zahoor Ahmed, he said that public was only suffering because of supply of gas to CNG stations in winter season. "Supply of gas to CNG stations is greatly affecting the supply of gas to domestic consumers. We are trying to resolve the matter but to a large extend with are helpless," he added.
According to Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources, the gas quota has been increased from 192 Million Cubic Feet per (MMCFD) day to 244 MMCFD for the twin cities to overcome low gas pressure in federal capital, but such claims stand contradicted as residents of Shamshabad Rawalpindi and G-6 Islamabad talking to this scribe claimed that they were unable to cook food because of low gas pressure.
The residents of the area expressed their concern over the injustice being done to them, as the gas supply remains suspended from 5am to 12 noon daily. The residents said that all their protests had fallen flat and they were still not being provided gas for domestic use. The residents further said that their children go school and their husbands to offices without breakfast. The residents appealed to the concerned authorities to honour the orders of government and restore gas supply to their area.