Over 100,000 applications for new connections pending with SNGPL

Rawalpindi
Even in urban areas, thousands of residents are without gas connections and leading a difficult life for years, thanks to the Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL).
Over 100,000 applications are still pending with the SNGPL only in Rawalpindi region for years and this figure is increasing with each passing day, but the concerned authority has left public in the lurch.
People run from pillar to post to get new gas connections but to no avail. They go to the MPA or MNA offices or adopt different kinds of negative ways for getting new connections because they could not afford expensive LPG, kerosene oil, firewood or coal. The ‘tout mafia’ is taking full advantage of this situation demanding higher amount from helpless customers to provide gas connections through negative ways.
The applicants, standing in long queues at Rawalpindi Region Office, said that the government is neither providing gas to domestic users nor to compressed natural gas (CNG) stations. “It means that the government is providing natural gas only to industrial units,” they denounced.
Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) General Manager (Rawalpindi Region) Muhammad Zahoor told ‘The News’ that they are installing new gas connections to those applicants who submitted applications in May 2012. “We consider the application after three to four years from the date of submission of the application for new connection,” he said. He also said that if someone wants new gas connection soon then they should submit their application on ‘urgent basis’, and its fee would be around Rs30,000 meaning an extra amount of Rs25,000 as Rs5,000 to Rs6,500 is the fee of demand note for a new connection.
A key official of the SNGPL, on condition of anonymity, said that over 45,0000 applications for new gas connections are lying unattended at the head office of the Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited for years. The applications were submitted manually before May 2010 at SNGPL offices in different areas. In June 2010, the company introduced a computerised method of filing applications. However, the manually-filed applications were not entertained and remained unattended in the respective offices. The official also disclosed that it was government directives to them to delay issuance of demand notices for new gas connections on regular fee. He said that the government also directed them to insist consumers to apply for gas connections on ‘urgent basis’ after payment of urgent fee of Rs25,000 along with Rs5,000 or Rs6,500 as demand note charges.
The SNGPL official said that there was no chance of entertaining the pending applications, adding that since the company was not giving new connections, the applications would not be possibly addressed in the coming years. The recently introduced computerised system for filing applications is not working properly either. The applicants have to wait for hours to file a single application. “The computer system seldom works and only a few applications are accepted. The computerisation of record had created problems for consumers,” the official said.
According to official standards, the SNGPL issues a demand note six weeks after receiving the application and tells the applicant to deposit the required amount in the bank. After receiving the money, the gas connection is approved and the company is bound to install a gas meter on the consumer’s premises. However, this procedure is not followed and consumers have to wait for more than three to four years.
On the directions of the government, SNGPL charges higher connection fee (Rs25,000) instead of the existing fee of Rs3,000 for provision of new connections to domestic consumers. The decision had been taken on a petition filed by SNGPL, saying that demand for new gas connections had increased manifold in recent years despite increasing gas shortfalls in the country. The company claimed that domestic gas connections resulted in higher system losses and, therefore, the facility should be given only to those consumers who were ready to pay higher connection charges which will increase cash flow to the gas company. In the light of all these reasons, helpless public is facing worst kind of problems in getting gas connections for domestic use.
During a visit to the SNGPL offices, it was witnessed that those having grievances are not allowed to meet high officials, both in Rawalpindi and Islamabad. Talking to ‘The News,’ helpless people said that SNGPL officers only entertain MPAs, MNAs and other influential people.