As the government tries to stem conversion of vehicles from petrol and diesel to compressed natural gas (CNG), the provincial environment minister on Thursday defended the use of CNG as an environment-friendly fuel that has resulted in reduction of environmental pollution and advised the Sui gas company to discover new reservoirs.
“At present 3.3 million vehicles are running on CNG and according to a survey, environmental pollution has reduced by 11 percent due to the use of natural gas,” Sindh Environment Minister Shaikh Muhammad Afzal said. “Closure of CNG stations will not only bring about worst effects on environmental pollution but also the economy.”
In a statement issued on Thursday, the minister said the use of CNG in vehicles should be promoted to eradicate pollution as it is the need of the hour.
“The Sui gas company instead of suspending CNG supply should discover new reservoirs of natural gas and stop the theft of natural gas,” he said, adding that 4,000 CNG buses were approved for Karachi, for which Rs 80 million were also allocated by State Bank of Pakistan.
“Around 35,000 CNG filling stations are operating in Pakistan and Rs 200 billion invested in the sector. The closure of CNG pumps will harm the bread and butter of millions of people,” he said. “New projects must be implemented in order to reduce environmental pollution.”
He added that four-stroke rickshaws should be converted into two-stroke ones.
Citing the example of Dehli in India, where all vehicles were converted to run on CNG and the pollution in the city controlled, Afzal warned that CNG shutdowns would definitely affect the environment, while increasing unemployment.
‘Discover gas, instead of shutting down CNG’
