RAWALPINDI: Citizens have voiced strong protest against overcharging of bills by the Sui gas department with adding surcharges of last five years in the Sui gas bill of the current month.
According to media reports, the Sui gas department has added a surcharge in the name of outstanding dues of the last five years in the current month, increasing bills from hundreds to thousands.
There are over 550,000 gas consumers in Rawalpindi region and a majority of them have been served bills with adding Rs 4743 on an account of surcharge and this way every consumer who used to pay bill less than Rs 1000 per month will have now to pay bill amounting to over Rs 5000.
The citizens said that neither gas heaters nor geezers are being used, but then such hefty bills have been received. During the entire summer season our bill never exceeded Rs 1000 per month but this month it has surpassed Rs 5000.
“I work as a guard at a private market and my salary is Rs 12000 per month. How can I pay this bulging bill which has been worked out by the high-ups of the Sui gas department to deprive people like me of the gas facility,” Akbar said.
When contacted the gas department, they said, “We have paid less bill during the period from March 01, 2012 to March 2017 which is being charged now,” said a group of citizens.
Sui gas department Rawalpindi regions GM Zahoor Ahmad said that the additional bills have been sent to the consumers who have used excessive gas and paid bills less than their actual consumption.