SNGPL spokesperson Adnan Rafiq told The Express Tribune that demand for gas tended to increase during winter and weather conditions usually caused pressure at source to decline. STOCK IMAGE
Hundreds of people from Chak 67-JB and its adjoining areas came together on Jhang-Faisalabad Road on Tuesday to stage a protest demonstration against unscheduled gas load shedding.
The protesters gathered at the road and blocked it for vehicular traffic. A number of them were seen wielding staffs, rods and hockey sticks on the occasion. They chanted slogans against the Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Company Limited (SNGPL) and demanded the immediate restoration of gas supply to the area.
Asifa Hassan, a protester, said unscheduled gas load shedding had made citizens’ lives hell. She said her children had been unable to reach their school on time as she had not been able to prepare breakfast on time due to gas load shedding.
“Residents of Sadhar have been grappling with the unavailability of full-pressure gas for three days,” she said. Hassan said they had been compelled to stage the demonstration as their complaints to the SNGPL had gone unheeded.
Bushra Bibi, another protester from Sabzi Mandi area said they would surround the SNGPL office on Sargodha Road if gas supply was not restored in 24 hours. “My husband quarrels with me when I am unable to prepare his breakfast due to gas load shedding. He has not been able to go to work on time due to this. One cannot even purchase food from markets because of gas load shedding. The few joints that are able to cook meals are not in a position to satisfy demand,” she said.
Abdul Kareem, another demonstrator, said residents of Sabzi Mandi area had been told by SNGPL officials that the locality did not fall in the city area after they had complained regarding poor pressure. He said they had been told that their gas connections would be checked and then supply at full pressure would be restored to their locality.
A team from Thikriwala police station visited the scene on learning about the demonstration and pacified the protesters. The protest was called off after the policemen assured the demonstrators that their grievances would be addressed soon.
SNGPL spokesperson Adnan Rafiq told The Express Tribune that demand for gas tended to increase during winter and weather conditions usually caused pressure at source to decline.
He said the company had been compelled to formulate a load management schedule due to this. Rafiq said some citizens had to grapple with load shedding because gas was being supplied to different localities on rotation. He said the challenge would be overcome with the passage of winter.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 14th, 2015.
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