Low to zero gas pressure irks Pindiites even in summer

Rawalpindi : The consumers of not only tail end areas but some of city and cantonment board localities are facing low to zero gas pressure even in hottest weather condition for over two weeks but officials of Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) are taking this issue non-seriously.

It is pertinent to mention here that first time consumers are facing worst shortage of gas even in hottest weather as all ‘tandoors’ are using LPG cylinders while families are forced to buy three times meal from hotels.

The consumers of Adiala Road, Defense Road, Hill View Lane, Munawar Colony, Dhoke Juma, Gulistan Colony, Kalyal, Madina Town, Tulsa, Sher Zaman Colony, Tahli Morri, Mubarak Lane, Al-Mumtaz Colony, Alamabad in Dhoke Hassu and several other localities are facing low to zero gas pressure for over two weeks.

The shortage of gas has started playing on the nerves of consumers not only domestic but also commercial, as more than 90 per cent ‘naanbais’ are using firewood to prepare ‘rotis’ to meet demand of public, who are forced to purchase ‘roti’ from ‘tandoors’. In the light of existing situation, the inhabitants of affected areas have appealed to the government to at least restore normal supply of gas for domestic consumers so that they can at least prepare three time meals.

On the other hand, concerned officials of SNGPL are continuously befooling public with their promises. They promised to provide full pressure gas through land line system even in peak winter season but consumers are facing low to zero gas pressure in June and July.

Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) In-Charge (Metering and Gas Pressure) Owais Ameen when contacted told ‘The News’ that the issue would be resolved soon. He also promised to personally visit the affected areas to address this issue. But, he neither visited the affected areas nor addressed this issue.

Another senior officer of SNGPL who is an (In-Charge) of Customer Services Centre (CSC) Rawalpindi Region Marvez Khan some six days back sent a team in affected areas but the situation still remains the same and there is no gas in these localities.

Rawalpindi ‘Naanbais’ Welfare Association (RNWA) President Shafiq Qureshi said that how could they prepare 'roti' in absence of gas. “We are using firewood and LPG cylinders to prepare ‘roti’ even in June and July,” he said. It seems that there is no government writ in all departments, he strongly denounced.

The citizens have expressed grave concern over low to zero gas pressure even in hot weather, saying that it is seriously affecting their routine life.

People urged the Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) and other concerned authorities to take steps for regularising gas supply to its consumers. They have appealed to Prime Minister Imran Khan to take notice of the situation when they are not getting gas even in hot weather.