Consumers in trouble as gas suspension continues on second day

PESHAWAR: The natural gas suspension continued to torment the domestic consumers on the second day Wednesday, with price of the LPG cylinder rising as more people flocked to purchase the gas. Meanwhile, officials of the SNGPL blame CNG stations for taking over the gas being supplied to the domestic consumers.

Javed Khan, a resident of Khattako Pul area in rural part of the provincial metropolis, told The News that he had got a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinder filled for Rs180 per kilogram, which a day earlier was Rs140. He feared that the prices would go up as more people were flocking to LPG shops. He said that people in his area were also buying fuel wood after suspension of gas supply.

Haris Sajjad, a resident of Landi Arbab locality, said previously Nanbais would charge him Rs5 for baking dough into a loaf of bread. But “today, you can see the line of people who have brought dough for baking bread. The Nanbai is charging Rs7 per bread today,” he added. A Nanbai, Muhammad Attiq, said he was compelled to purchase gas from LPG shops that cost him Rs6,300 per cylinder which previously used to sell for Rs5,000. He said the price was expected to go up as the existing stock had started to deplete.

When contacted, a Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) senior official said cooperation from the CNG stations could help address the gas shortage issue of domestic consumers. SNGPL General Manager Taj Ali Khan told The News the SNGPL had started proper gas supply to domestic consumers, asking the CNG stations to cooperate with the SNGPL. He acknowledged that the gas pressure was not smooth but said the CNG stations took the gas being supplied to the domestic consumers.

The SNGPL chief said the government had issued clear directives to prioritize the gas supply. “Our first priority is domestic consumers and second is power sector along with export-oriented industries,” he elaborated. The official said the gas shortage would affect CNG and other industries, adding the gas supply to these two sectors should be stopped across the country to provide relief to the domestic consumers.