LAHORE, Jan 26: The Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) on Sunday restored supply to around 1,100 industrial units in Punjab and NWFP.

Some 1,300 units were affected on Jan 21 when two of the main transmission lines were hit by a rocket attack on the Dauli wall assembly, 18 miles from Sui.

According to company officials, the supply was restored to around 80 per cent of industry on Sunday. Rest will be connected on Monday (today).

The gas was also restored to Wapda’s power station at Faisalabad. The Pak-American Fertilizer Unit at Daud Khel would start getting supply from Monday (today).

According to SNGPL managing director, Mr Rashid Lone, the company would restore supply to fertilizer units on priority because of standing wheat crop. The fertilizer units would start getting gas within next one week. The power sector would come next and cement last.

It would take another two weeks to restore supply to the cement plants, he said. The company had suspended supply to fertilizer, power and cement plants during the first week of December when cold wave and fog gripped the better part of the country.

All these calculations have been made on the basis of weather being mild. But if another cold wave hits the country or it starts raining, the company would have to reconsider its plans of industrial restoration.

The company officials said that restoration, originally planned for Monday, was possible only because of better weather. Lahore’s temperature went up to 20 C on Saturday, reducing domestic demand and allowing the company to divert some gas to the industry.