Rawalpindi
After badly failing to meet the demand of gas in the winter season, the SNGPL authorities have issued highly inflated bills to its consumers for the month of December thus further wrecking their nerves.
The people of several localities of Rawalpindi city, Cantonment areas complained of receiving highly inflated bills issued by the SNGPL despite the fact its authorities deprived them of this basic facility since the arrival of winter season. When there is a problem of zero gas pressure and people have not availed this facility in December, then how the meter showing units without any use. The people termed the meter reading as incorrect and also described the calculation of amounts of gas tariff totally wrong. The inflated bills issued by SNGPL varies from Rs18,000 to Rs10,000 which according to consumers is beyond their limits to pay.
The consumers, who allegedly claimed of receiving huge bills, belonged to areas of Satellite Town, Adiala Road, Dhok Juma, Media Town, Asghar Mall Scheme, Harley Street, Lalazar, Kamalabad, Dhamial, Dhoke Khabba, Tench Bhatta, People’s Colony, Aslam Shaheed Road, Jhanda Chichi, Commercial Market vice versa. Interestingly all these localities like other union councils and Cantt wards were severely hit by problem of low gas pressure and the authorities in the government as well as of SNGPL had agreed that the issue persists since the beginning of winter season.
The consumers while showing their gas bills as evidence questioned the related SNGPL authorities on what justification inflated bills have been issued to them when the Pindiites were deprived of this basic facility since winter to date.
Malik Khalid of Satellite Town alleged that because of zero gas pressure he purchased gas cylinders for cooking meals and breakfast. With the problem of zero gas pressure units of gas meter stops functioning because of not being utilised this service. However, in his bill the SNGPL have included huge units and claimed more than Rs18,000 which according to him is incorrect.
Consumers of Adiala and Talhi Mohri claimed that over the last 15 years the process of depriving people of gas facility and issuance of inflated bills to them is continue, however, the high ups in the government have not evolved any strategy and measures to provide relief from the high handedness of the SNGPL officials including the managing director and the general managers of their regions.
Mushtaq Ahmed of Hathi Chowk alleged that on receiving huge bill worth Rs17,983 he tried to approach higher officials including the general manager and the billing officer, however, instead of rectifying the problem, he was asked to clear the amount in two installments. Similarly, scores of other consumers also complained about the non-cooperation of the higher officials of SNGPL.
The consumers have appealed to Prime Minister Mian Nawaz Sharif and the concerned minister to take immediate notice of the matter with regard to highly inflated bills issued by SNGPL authorities at a time when problem of low gas pressure existed. The consumers have demanded off the prime minister to order enquiry against the high ups of SNGPL that on what basis huge bills were served when people did not avail this facility because of inefficiency of the concerned officials. The consumers further demanded provision of appropriate relief to them in the gas bills which should be in their limits to pay. We are domestic consumers and not commercial then how come the SNGPL issues huge bills through wrong and incorrect methods and calculations , they questioned.
When this correspondent approached Shahid Ikram, Manager in Customer Service, Westridge, Rawalpindi, he agreed to the fact that there was acute problem of low gas pressure in December which still continues. When questioned despite this fact inflated bills have been issued to the consumers, he observed that every consumer would have not received inflated bills but such cases would be minor. Shahid Ikram suggested the complainants to approach the customer services to get their bills correction. However, he had no answer to tell that how the SNGPL has charged huge amounts in the bills when people were badly deprived of this gas facility.
This scribed tried several time to contact General Manager, Rawalpindi Region, Mohammad Zahoor on his cellular phone for his comments, but he did not receive calls.
