Gas supply woes grip city

The pressure of gas for domestic users dropped sharply in major parts of the city on Thursday.
CNG stations resumed operations after the three-day weekly closure, but their reopening created havoc for domestic users, who could not cook meals because of extremely low gas pressure. The Sui-Northern Gas Pipeline Limited (SNGPL) facilitated the industrial sector ahead of the needs of the domestic user.
In many areas the gas supply was completely cut-off, while in some areas the pressure was extremely low, such as in Township, Johar Town, Wapda Town, Faisal Town, Gulberg, Garden Town, Muslim Town, Ghaziabad, Mustafabad, Gari Shahu, Multan Road, Iqbal Town and Walled City.
Domestic users could not even prepare meals because of low gas pressure, and had to purchase food from hotels. Restaurant owners, meanwhile, were forced to use LPG and burn firewood for preparation of food for their customers. “There was no gas and I have to prepare food on firewood,” said a restaurant owner, Shabir Ali, adding that the gas pressure had been normal on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, but had suddenly dropped on Thursday.
Sources inside SNGPL said the company was diverting maximum supplies to the industrial sector, while citing the resumption of operations at CNG stations the reason for shortage of gas supplies to domestic users. “Maximum supplies are being given to the industries, while the company is trying to give the impression that CNG stations are responsible for the low gas pressure,” the sources said.