24 April 2004	Saturday	03 Rabi-ul-Awwal 1425

PESHAWAR, April 23: The Sui Northern Gas Pipeline Limited (SNGPL), Peshawar Region, has given a June 30 deadline to commercial consumers in the city to deposit money under the head of additional security.

In case of non-compliance, their gas connections would be snapped after expiry of the deadline. SNGPL (NWFP) general manager Imdad Hussain said this while addressing a press conference at his office on Friday.

He dispelled the impression that SNGPL had launchesd a drive for cutting gas supply to defaulters, and said that since 2001 the company had been making efforts to recover the outstanding dues against consumers under the head of additional security.

The SNGPL official said that it was the responsibility of consumers to deposit an amount equal to three months' bill in advance, which was clearly mentioned in Section-I of the agreement. He, however, deplored that commercial consumers were using delaying tactics to pay this sum.

Ridiculing protest campaign launched by commercial consumers, under the banner of Traders Grand Alliance (TGA), he recalled that during a meeting of the Oil & Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) last year the representatives of consumers had agreed to deposit the remaining security money.

Despite repeated requests and meetings, commercial consumers are reluctant to deposit this money, leaving the company with no other option but to discontinue their gas supply.

Justifying a raise in the additional security, he said the money charged at the time of providing gas connection was very nominal. He said that at the time of giving connections to consumers, there was no General Sales Tax (GST), which is now collected on every bill at a rate of 15 per cent. The amount so collected goes to the federal government.

Replying to a question, the SNGPL official said that consumers owed millions to the gas supplier. Representatives of traders had made it clear in negotiations with SNGPL authorities that they were ready to pay the outstanding dues in instalments, he recalled. -APP