PESHAWAR: The Sui Northern Gas Pipeline Limited has initiated work on the 600 kilometers long pipelines in parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to ensure the supply of natural gas across the province and fulfil the people’s needs for the next 30 years.

“With the execution of several mega gas projects including the 111km long Mardan-Swat Gas Transmission Line in progress, work on the 56km long pipeline has already been completed. The supply will be extended to far-flung areas of Malakand division, including Shangla, Kalam, Dir and Chitral, to benefit the people and save thick forests from destruction,” SNGPL general manager Saqib Arbab told Dawn.

The official said work on a 12-inch 80-90km long Haripur-Hazara gas pipeline work as well as another 36km long direct line connecting Dara Adamkhel with Peshawar was also under way.

He said he was optimistic that work on the project would be completed by the end of the current financial year.

Official says projects will fulfil KP people’s needs for 30 years

Mr Arbab said four years ago, the gas losses were 33.8 percent but they had come down by 11 percent at the provincial level and 13 percent at regional level, which was a big achievement.

He said the company had registered more than 1500 FIRs against gas thieves in KP.

“The company is registering five to six FIRs of gas theft on a daily basis,” he said.

The SNGPL manager said he had already held a meeting with the Frontier Constabulary inspector general to seek his help to raise a force to overcome the loss of natural gas in Southern districts of the province.

He said he was hopeful that after the deployment of paramilitary force, the infrastructure of natural gas in Karak district and other relevant sensitive areas would be protected.

Mr Arbab said both federal and provincial governments were fully determined to cooperate in this regard, adding that pipeline damaged by the people for stealing gas would also be replaced.

He said the people of the southern districts, which produced 400 million cubic feet per day natural gas and over 50,000 barrel crude oil per day, claimed ownership to those natural resources and thus, forcibly and stealthily using them without paying a dime.

The official said the SNGPL had laid 759km infrastructure, while there was no moratorium on gas connections in the gas producing area.

He said a crackdown on gas theft could bring down the company’s losses in the province to a single digit.

Mr Arbab said the provincial government had already provided funds for gas supply to Hangu district, while funds for Karak district in that respect had also been promised.

He said the decline in SNGPL losses in Karak would have a positive impact on the province’s economy.

The official said the whole system, including billing, was completely computerised, while consumers were provided with customer services round the clock with each telephone call being recorded in order to crosscheck performance of the helpline’s staff members.

He said an international standard oracle software with all relevant record had been installed by the company; 95 percent complaints were addressed within a period of 24 hours, while some were resolved on the spot, too.

Mr Arbab said in the past, the company used to give 25,000-30,000 gas connections annually but last year, 120,000 gas connections were issued.

“The gas connection system is completely computerised with the people getting connection on first come first serve basis to maintain merit,” he said.

The official said KP had 18,000km long gas network, 0.7 million consumers, 500 CNG stations and 6,000 commercial consumers and was providing uninterrupted gas supply to captive power units, textile and cement industry.

He said the province produced 450 MMCFD gas and that the first priority was provision of gas to the local residents.

Mr Arbab said during the winter season, all gas produced in the province was utilised in KP, while surplus gas was provided to other provinces in the summer season only.

He said during the last five years, no gas loadshedding had been carried out in the province and that uninterrupted gas was supplied to CNG stations and other industrial sectors.

The SNGPL general manager rejected the complaints about gas loadshedding.

He said consumers should avoid illegal gas connections, use of power generators and compressors as such appliances were not allowed.

He also asked the people to clean heaters and kitchen stoves to get smooth gas supply.

Published in Dawn, November 18th, 2017