The Lahorites can’t keep themselves warm or cook in chilling cold weather as the city is facing severe gas shortage, Pakistan Today observed on Tuesday. Meanwhile, the SNGPL claimed that Lahore was getting more gas than its designated share.
Like previous years, the citizens are forced to live in miserable condition in the decreasing temperature. They accuse Sui Northern Gas Pipeline Limited (SNGPL) that it failed to provide them proper supply of gas.
People of the most part of the city have complained that they had to live without gas throughout the night while many have complained that they were unable to make a cup of tea for them throughout the day.
With the decrease in mercury, the gas supply is considered the most important thing in people’s lives. But the gas load shedding and low pressure have made the life difficult for office-goers and school kids as they leave their homes without breakfast. The gas load shedding has forced the people to buy LNG cylinders from the open market.
Zubair, a resident of Dharmpura while talking to Pakistan Today, said that the people of his area were facing low gas pressure for the last three weeks but for the last few days they were facing severe gas scarcity. “We have to go at our jobs without having meal” he said adding that the gas remained absent even at in the evening, so they have to buy food from the market.
Not just Dharmpura, the residents of densely populated areas like Garhi Shahu, Shadbagh, Badami Bagh, Mughalpura, Shahdra, Gulshan Ravi, Faisal Town, Wapda Town, Johar Town and Muslim Town were also suffering from low gas pressure or gas load shedding.
A senior government official residing in Lytton Road area told this scribe that he was suffering in continuous state of without gas for more than three weeks. He said that he had bought an LNG cylinder which could cook food while this has become a dream for him to take bath with hot water. “Government and its all departments have failed to provide the basic facilities to the citizens. In summer season we have to remain without electricity while in winter gas load shedding is started”, he lamented.
While talking to Pakistan Today, an SNGPL official seeking anonymity admitted that despite putting all efforts to facilitate the citizens of a big city, department was unable to cater to people’s needs as the city needed more gas than its quota, especially in winter season. He said that this was understood that in winter season the total requirement increased more than 40 per cent which was even less than after getting more share from the system. “The present quantity of gas can be sufficient but the prevailing problem is caused due to mismanagement” he added.
SNGPL spokesman Awais Bajwa, while talking to Pakistan Today, said that current year the situation was far better than previous years as Lahore was receiving more gas than its share. He said that the real problem was when people used compressors which made others to suffer. “SNGPL has started campaign against those using compressor illegally while those using domestic connections for commercial purposes”, he said and informed that department has observed that the sale of compressors this year has increased more than 100 per cent.
SNGPL General Manager Qaiser Masood told Pakistan Today that department was very much concerned about the suffering of people and committed to providing them gas without interruption. He said that currently Lahore region was receiving more than 320 MMFC per day which was 25 MMFC more than its share while its more than 40 to 45 MMFC per day more gas as compared to summer.
“To meet the short fall in the region, company has shut down the CNG stations permanently which added five to six MMFC per day in the system to facilitate domestic sector”, Qaiser said adding that Lahore has no short fall, the problem was just because of massive use of compressors. He added that department has lodged FIRs against gas pilferers and also it has started campaign against the compressor sellers.
Talking about Lytton Road area, the GM said that the company was spending Rs 6 million to lay down 2200 feet long pipeline in the area which would be completed in next few days.