VEHARI, Feb 10: Consumers of the Sui-Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) protested excessive billing for the month of January here on Tuesday.

Dozens of consumers belonging to Union Council No 1 and adjoining areas gathered near Old Bus Stand and protested against the officials of SNGPL.

They alleged that the company had issued them February bills without recording monthly reading on their meters.

A consumer, Zulfiqar Ali, told Dawn the SNGPL officials did not visit the area to record reading on domestic meters on a monthly basis. He alleged that officials issued bills on the basis of fictitious rather whimsical reading.

Another consumer said he had been billed to the tune of Rs8,000 against his monthly consumption which ranged between Rs400 to Rs500 only.

A consumer complained that he had been paying a Rs7,000 average bill for the last several months.

He and many others alleged that local SNGPL officials demanded gratification to rectify the bills.

The protesters threatened that if their bills were not corrected, they would launch a protest for an indefinite period.

When Dawn visited the local SNGPL office in Danewal, an official, Ahmad Raza, said Mian Channu office alone was authorised to rectify the bills. A Mian Channu official, Asim, said the consumers should visit their office to get their bills rectified.

The consumers also demanded establishment of an authorised office in Vehari to solve their problems at the local level.