Industry woes: CNG stations reject load management plan
Demand immediate resumption of gas supply, compensation for losses
ISLAMABAD:
The All Pakistan CNG Association (APCNGA) on Saturday rejected the gas load management schedule, stating that continuous closure of compressed natural gas (CNG) stations in Punjab is not acceptable under any circumstances.
“The closure of CNG stations on the pretext of annual maintenance of gas fields is intolerable as it has added to the problems of filling station operators and miseries of the masses,” said Ghiyas Abdullah Paracha, a key member of the association.
In a statement, he said people were deprived of the affordable fuel during Eid festivities and the closure of CNG stations had affected millions of jobs and thousands of station operators. On the other hand, taxi, rickshaw and wagon drivers increased their fares.
“It is the only business in the world that is not allowed to operate for more than two days in a week and now the prolonged closure has made it impossible for the CNG operators to pay bills and salaries.”
The machines installed at the filling stations require a lot of effort to start work after long delays and that the CNG industry has no alternative to natural gas. Therefore, he said all the stations should be allowed to begin operations and they should be compensated for the losses.
He said depriving the Punjab’s CNG industry of gas was highly unfortunate and if the demands were not met, the association would be left with no option but to launch protests.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 12th, 2014.
The All Pakistan CNG Association (APCNGA) on Saturday rejected the gas load management schedule, stating that continuous closure of compressed natural gas (CNG) stations in Punjab is not acceptable under any circumstances.
“The closure of CNG stations on the pretext of annual maintenance of gas fields is intolerable as it has added to the problems of filling station operators and miseries of the masses,” said Ghiyas Abdullah Paracha, a key member of the association.
In a statement, he said people were deprived of the affordable fuel during Eid festivities and the closure of CNG stations had affected millions of jobs and thousands of station operators. On the other hand, taxi, rickshaw and wagon drivers increased their fares.
“It is the only business in the world that is not allowed to operate for more than two days in a week and now the prolonged closure has made it impossible for the CNG operators to pay bills and salaries.”
The machines installed at the filling stations require a lot of effort to start work after long delays and that the CNG industry has no alternative to natural gas. Therefore, he said all the stations should be allowed to begin operations and they should be compensated for the losses.
He said depriving the Punjab’s CNG industry of gas was highly unfortunate and if the demands were not met, the association would be left with no option but to launch protests.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 12th, 2014.