July 22, 2005	Friday	Jumadi-us-Sani 14, 1426

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GUJRAT, July 21: Residents of various localities, who are experiencing the gas shutdown and low pressure, have given vent to their disquiet over leasing out of a piece of land in Lalamusa where a ‘regulating station’ is installed. The SNGPL had installed its regulating station on the National Highway Authority land in Lalamusa near Shamim School. The department had obtained the NOC from the NHA before installing the station and had been paying a handsome amount in rent to the NHA.

This station is considered to be a sensitive spot as it is supplying gas to the entire city. The NHA had leased out the land to a Lalamusa party without taking into confidence the SNGPL authorities a few days ago.

Without obtaining the NOC from the SNGPL, the party has started digging work at the land posing a threat to the regulating station and underground pipeline.

A majority of residents of Karimpura, Committee Road, Qasba Mohallah and Dhama have complained that the gas supply to their houses remained suspended the whole day a few days back.

A number of them complained that they had been experiencing the low gas pressure for the last six days. They feared that the digging work had damaged the underground pipeline from various spots.

Sources said the leaseholder had contacted Sui gas officials to get an NOC when he came to know about complaints of gas shutdown and low pressure.

Initially, they said the department had refused to issue the NOC and lodged a protest with the NHA instead. Later, the influential leaseholder piled up pressure on officials who agreed to shift the regulating station to another place.

A Sui gas spokesman told Dawn by telephone that the leaseholder had promised to bear the entire shifting expenditures of the regulating station.

He said that if any subscriber had been experiencing the problem of low pressure, he should lodge a complaint so that the fault could be rectified.

Requesting anonymity, another official said the managing director and the government were unaware of the shifting of such a sensitive installation.

Residents have called upon highups of the SNGPL and the NHA to order a probe into the matter and take strict action against the officials responsible for such an illegal act. They threatened to lay a siege to the offices concerned if the fault was not rectified and the work was not stopped at the site immediately.

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