The ministry of petroleum and natural resources has received 25 applications for setting up Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) station in Rawalpindi division, out of which four have been approved.
“Out of 25 applicants, construction licences have been awarded to four after fulfillment of all codal formalities and requirements,” official sources in the ministry told APP.
The permits have been issued to MS/ Saif Gas and Country Auto Gas for constructing two LPG terminals in Chakwal, one each in Attock and Jhelum, they added.
They also informed that licences to the remaining applicants would be granted soon after completing verification of site by third party inspectors in accordance with LPG Rules 2001 and Regulatory Framework.
The sources said LPG stations could only be set up on roads or highways having minimum width of 60 feet, which was the criterion for issuance of no-objection certificate for the fuel outlets.
Commenting on the prevailing natural gas situation across the country, they said, the Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited and Sui Southern Gas Company had not issued new industrial gas connection during the years 2013-14 and 2014-15.
The companies, they said, received a large number of requests by industrial units for enhancement of gas volume, but they regretted due to prevailing vast gap between demand and supply of natural gas and imposition of moratorium. They said the companies were making all out efforts to ensure uninterrupted gas supply to domestic consumers, for which the existing shortfall was being bridged through load-management in different sectors including power, industry, compress natural gas and fertiliser.
“The situation worsens during winter months on account of usage of gas heaters and geysers,” the sources said, adding that due to exceptional increase in demand during winters, consumers might face low pressure in some localities.
