Whereas, the Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) is clamping down on industries and commercial consumers using gas through illegal means, the company has failed to supply uninterrupted gas to its customers who have been paying regular monthly bills, especially those living in some areas of District West.
Friday saw the Surveillance and Monitoring (S&M) Department of SSGC launching a major crackdown against a number of ice factories located in Larkana and Bakrani cities.
“So far seven such facilities have been raided,” said a statement issued by the company’s spokesman Inayatullah Ismail.
Aptly taking to task those involved in gas theft, the SSGC management seemed to be completely unwary of the plight of thousands of its customers who were suffering from low gas pressure during the holy month of Ramadan.
The hardest hit areas were the impoverished neighbourhoods of Keamari, Baldia and other areas of District West, that were termed as ‘tail-end’ areas of the city by the SSGC spokesman. The residents of these areas have been complaining of a persistent low gas pressure ever since the month of Ramadan had started.
“Our area has been receiving low gas pressure ever since the month of Ramadan commenced. The problem intensified in the evening when people were getting food ready for Iftar and dinner,” said Amjad Khan, an electrician by profession.
Khan said came with no exception as areas were not receiving any gas supply.
“People arrange all the items they need to make something for iftar, but are met with disappointment when gas supply was discontinued,” said Abdur Rasheed, director of SELF HELP, a philanthropic organisation in Keamari.
Rasheed wondered how the SSGC administration could be so indifferent to the plight of its customers in this holy month. “We pay the bills regularly and have no illegal connections and our problems should be addressed on priority basis,” the social worker exclaimed.
Azizur Rehman, a government teacher, was annoyed over the fact that while the day-long fasting intensified the people’s desire for traditional food, the lack of gas has been forcing the womenfolk to cook these items much before the Iftar time. “As a result, we have to consume cold food everyday,” he said.
When contacted SSGC Spokesman Inayatullah Ismail said there was no hope that gas would be provided to customers of tail-end areas till the end of Ramadan. “The condition for the tail-end areas of District West is very bad,” he told Pakistan Today.
For gas shortage, the spokesman cited increased demand for gas that had been pushed up by the food outlets temporarily set up during Ramadan. The spokesman was unable to quote any figure in terms of the supply demand gap.
“There is no remedy. We obviously can’t add more gas to the grid. So the problem would persist unless we see the current demand decline (after Eid),” Ismail said.
Even routinely, the SSGC spokesman said, the supply of gas to the said tail-end areas was so low that a recent blast at an SSGC pipeline installed beneath MA Jinnah Bridge had caused no damage. “There was no gas in the pipeline, so no great damage was reported,” he revealed.
The residents of Keamari claimed to have lodged several complaints but to no avail. “Why do they keep sending bills if they can’t provide us gas specially at times of pressing need (Iftar-Dinner),” asked Naeem Ahmed, another SELF HELP office-bearer.
Imranullah Al-Tauheedi, a religious scholar who runs a madrassah in the locality, complained that the gas scarcity was adversely affecting the Taraveeh schedule. “The food is not ready on time so we have to re-adjust the Taraveeh timing,” he added.
Meanwhile, the SSGC spokesman said the officials concerned were looking for ways to resolve this complicated issue at the earliest.
Having failed to cater to the energy needs of its registered customers, the SSGC management had enough gas for those using the utility through illegal means.
On Friday the SSGC claimed to have operated against 120 ice factories in Larkana and Bakrani cities in interior Sindh.
“The operation that started in May 2013 continues to this day,” said an SSGC statement adding that the factories were using gas directly by installing clamps on the distribution lines.
Backed by the Rangers and police, the SSGC raid party disconnected direct connections, removed illegal clamps and killed service lines.
“Although some of the factories were registered industrial customers with installed metres, still they were using gas directly through clamps,” the utility said.
The SSGC spokesman also cited the example of CNG stations as a major factor in escalating the demand for gas.
