April 3, 2006	Monday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 4, 1427

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ATTOCK/TAXILA April 2: The increase in gas tariff by the Sui Northern Gas Pipeline (SNGPL) and mutton and beef by the butchers after the bird flu scare has created severe financial hardships for people belonging to lower-middle and lower class. Majority of domestic consumers in Attock either could not deposit their bills or opted for payment in instalments.

A number of SNGPL consumers complained that even in case of paying the amount in instalments, they would have to pay 10 per cent late fee surcharge, putting more financial burden on them.

They expressed grave concern over the ‘arbitrary’ increase in the bills and termed the move an anti-consumer policy of the company.

Criticizing the inflated bills, Mohammad Ayub Khan of Darul Islam, Attock city, said he had to pay Rs4,380 bill for the month of January, while the December bill was worth Rs1,470. Now, he said, he had received bill of Rs6,580 for the month of February. Later, he said, he decided to pay the amount in five instalments to avoid disconnection.

Similarly, a low-paid government employee, Malik Khaliqur Rehman, complained that he had received a Rs3,000 bill for February, while previously he had paid only Rs1,400.

Expressing her annoyance over the inflated bills, a widow said the situation was a result of mismanagement and lack of proper planning on part of the authorities concerned. She claimed that the SNGPL authorities sent consumers inflated bills to cover up for the losses sustained by their instalments due to attacks in Balochistan.

The consumers resented that there was no one to check the ‘excesses’ being committed by the SNGPL authorities. They urged the government to take stock of the situation and give relaxation to the consumers to pay the bills without late fee surcharge. The legislators were also urged to raise the issue in the National Assembly to provide relief to the people.

When contacted, SNGPL District Engineer Attock Urangzaib Khan said consumers had to pay excessive bills due to higher consumption of gas in the winter season, adding that the amounts were calculated on the basis of meter readings. He cited 15 per cent raise in gas tariff as another reason behind increased bills.

TAXILA: Prices of beef and mutton have gone up in Taxila, Wah Cantonment and Hassanabdal after the bird flu scare.

The residents of the area accused the local administration of failing to control the artificial price-hike that had burdened the common man.

At present, beef is being sold at Rs130 per kg while mutton is available for Rs260 per kg. This phenomenon can be seen at Taxila chowk, Nawababad, Railway road market, HIT market, HMC market, HMC road market, Faisal Shaheed road market and various other bazaars and markets in Taxila, Wah Cantonment and Hassanabdal.

On the other hand, butchers still continue to soak the meat in water to earn maximum profits, exposing customers to a number of ailments.

People have also accused butchers of using inaccurate weighing scales. They said the authorities concerned never conducted raids on the local markets to check the weighing scales used by these butchers besides price and quality of meat.