Energy woes: Gas shortage paralyses routine life

Locals believe gas from pipelines is used up to run powerful generators

PESHAWAR: Residents of Arbab Road and Tehkal Payan took to the streets on Tuesday over a gas shortage at their houses even though they had paid their bills.

Speaking to The Express Tribune, many locals said they have been facing a gas shortage for a year. However, the relevant authorities have not addressed their grievances and have refused to respond to their concerns. Naveed Alam, a local, said his family faced an acute shortage of gas throughout winter.

Another local said, “The gas shortage is incomprehensible. On countless occasions, we have seen water in gas pipelines. We cannot understand why the gas is converted into water.

Power games

Many complaints have also been registered at Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL). A large number of residents believe gas from the pipelines is used up by influential families who run powerful generators.



Another resident said they had to use liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) throughout winters as gas was not available. During this period, they kept paying between Rs400 and Rs1,000 each month for their gas bills to SNGPL as well.

The other view

Officials of SNGPL told The Express Tribune the unavailability of gas persists in other localities as well.

They say they are trying to resolve issues as complaints are registered from every locality. They also admitted that some influential families from the area have installed illegal connection to the main pipeline which hinders the flow of gas to other households.

“Running generators on gas is illegal and hampers the flow of high-pressure gas,” an officer at the SNGPL added.

SNGPL General Manager Arbab Saqib said he did not receive any complaints regarding low gas pressure in the area. “The transformation of gas into liquid occurs because of the sudden decrease in temperature in winter,” he added.

However, he said they make an effort to address these concerns whenever locals register complaints.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 25^th, 2016.