Consumers complain of gas load-shedding

MARDAN: A complete load-shedding of provision of natural gas in areas including Par Hoti, Bako Dheri, Kashmirabad, Faisal Town on Bakhshali Road and Sang-e-Marmar has been in place for the last 65 days.

Since the onset of the current winter season, the gas load-shedding is continuously being observed in these areas. The consumers have been complaining about the non-availability of gas to the concerned authorities but no notice of the issue has been taken by them yet.

A citizen Jamshed Khan argued that the gas load-shedding was humiliating because there is no other source of energy and fire to avail it easily. He complained that on one hand the prices were raised by the present government while on the other the disruption of gas supply and the unannounced gas load-shedding had made their life miserable. “We cannot use electricity for cooking, heating water and other purposes because the costly bill has to be paid while firewood prices too have gone up. The firewood prices are Rs700 per 40 kg and for a family of six or seven it is unaffordable,” he complained.

A housewife Wasima Begum told this scribe that Imran Khan has made life hell for them due to complete load-shedding of gas for over the last two months. She said that non-availability of gas had affected their lives.

She noted that LNG prices too have been raised as 1 kg of LNG is priced Rs160 while firewood and electricity are also out of reach of the people.