Gas load-shedding: Outages test residents’ nerves

ISLAMABAD: Low pressure and gas outages are testing the nerves of the capital residents with the drop in temperatures. The residents of sectors F-8, F-11, F-10, F-7, I-8, I-10, I-9, G-9, G-11, G-10, G-6, G-7, F-7, I-8, Orchard Scheme, Margalla Town, Chak Shahzad, Rawal Town and Bhara Kahu use firewood for cooking food, often from the Margallas.

The residents experience over eight hours of unannounced gas outages daily.

Further, the increased demand of LPG has put additional burden on the budget of low-income households. The low pressure and load-shedding have also affected businesses, putting the jobs of many at stake. Most restaurants and hotels in Bhara Kahu, I-8 Markaz, Karachi Company and Sitara Market have closed down as a result.

Meanwhile, the Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Company Limited is upgrading its existing transmission system in Rawalpindi.

“There is a need to improve the existing supply lines, for which Rs8.7 million has been allocated and the work is in progress,” an official in Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources said.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 19^th, 2016.