KOHAT: The people of Kohat city have criticised the Sui Northern Gas Pipeline Limited for the low gas pressure when it is most required for cooking and heating purposes in the evening.

They said that with the start of chilly weather about two weeks ago the gas pressure had been decreased due to which people could not operate generators in case of power loadshedding or lit the gas lamps.

They also demanded that the Pesco should immediately stop unnecessary loadshedding in the night when bazaars and offices were closed. They said that streetlights were also turned off without any reason by the tehsil municipal administration.

They criticised the snapping of electricity at 6:00am when the children had to prepare for school. They claimed that the Pesco was cutting off electricity supply for one hour exactly at 6:00pm, 9:00pm, 12:00 midnight, 3:00am and 6:00am for months now. They said that the consumers of the city had been regularly paying their bills, but they were subjected to severe loadshedding.

Tajir Action Committee chairman Haji Abid said that according to the Peshawar High Court orders the gas pressure could not be decreased nor gas supply stopped in the Kohat gas producing region. He said that smooth supply was restored to all the CNG stations, but the houses were still facing the problem.

Meanwhile, commissioner Kohat division Musarrat Hussain has expressed his dismay over the slow pace of work on the city’s beautification project and dilapidated condition of KDA roads and ordered the authorities concerned to submit report in this regard within 10 days.

He was chairing a meeting at his office the other day to review progress on the uplift and beautification project of Kohat launched with the initial grant of Rs284.63 million.

The meeting was attended also by MPA Ziaullah Bangash, district nazim Maulana Niaz Mohammad, deputy commissioner Zahir Shah and officers of the relevant departments in the district.

Published in Dawn, December 21st, 2015