Use of power generators: SNGPL cuts off as supply to consumers in Haripur

HARIPUR: Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) authorities have disconnected meters of several consumers in various parts of the district on charges of using electricity generators run on gas, which they claim was a violation of rules.

Tahir Amin, a peasant councillor from the neighborhood council No 6, who is also president of district chapter of PTI’s labour wing, and Imran Alizai, a general councilor, told journalists that during the last two days, the SNGPL authorities had disconnected the gas meters of more than 60 consumers without serving them any notices.

They said that when they asked about the reason behind disconnection of their gas meters, they were told that they were using power generators on the gas meters, which was not allowed under the rules.

They quoted several affected consumers as saying that the officials did not even serve them notice or warn them about using the generators and in a surprise move, they disconnected their meters, exposing them to cooking problems despite the fact they were neither defaulters nor committed any pilferage.

When approached, an official at the local SNGPL office confirmed that the authorities had removed the gas meters of some of the consumers and the action was on the directives from higher authorities. However, the official failed to share the name of the higher authority that had issued directives for such action.

The official further said that at the time of filing the application form, each consumer had promised that he would use the facility of gas only for cooking and when they used it for electricity generation through generators, they had committed a violation.